[meteorite-list] Sonic Boom in India?

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Aug 19 12:27:44 2005
Message-ID: <200508191626.j7JGQhr02118_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1204940.cms

Was it a sonic boom?
The Times of India
August 18, 2005

BANGALORE: The source of the mysterious 'blast'that rocked parts of
southern Bangalore at 4 pm on Wednesday evening, continues to be
mysterious.

Some readers, including retired defence personnel, called up The Times
of India to point out that the sound could be a 'sonic boom' - the noise
produced when aircraft cross the sound barrier. Considering that regular
test flights of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) are conducted here, that
could be the source of the sound, one of the readers said.

But when contacted, sources in Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA),
ruled out the possibility. "There were no test flights at that
time,"they said. "To attain the speed of sound, the aircraft need to be
at a certain height, so it will not be so audible from the
ground,"another official said.

Officials at the India Meteorology Department (IMD) and geotechnical
scientists at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) civil engineering wing
said "no significant earthquake activity" occurred at the time.

Dynamite to blame? A resident of Banashankari said blasts are frequent
in Banashankari II Stage. According to him, dynamite is used at a
construction site near his house to clear rocky area there. "There were
vibrations at 4 pm when a blast occurred in the construction site,"he
stressed. Despite complaints, nothing has been done, he said. However,
the police there said no formal complaint has been lodged.

According to the Mines and Geology Department, there are no quarrying
permits issued within Bangalore City Corporation limits, though, other
sources said a couple of quarries do function in the Subramanyapura
area. If citizens have complaints about loud blasting/ quarrying, they
can contact the mines and geology department on 22861516 and 22866620.
Received on Fri 19 Aug 2005 12:26:42 PM PDT