[meteorite-list] Mystery Bang in England

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Jan 26 15:07:52 2006
Message-ID: <200601261922.k0QJMsU25144_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=829&ArticleID=1316094

Mystery over bang which shook district
Spalding Today (United Kingdom)
January 17, 2006

MYSTERY still surrounds a bang that shook Spalding and the surrounding area.
The noise was heard at 2.19pm on Wednesday. It caused buildings to shake
and the ground to vibrate.

But Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Ambulance Service and Lincolnshire
Fire and Rescue received no reports of any incidents in the area.
Many people now believe it was a sonic boom, caused when a jet breaks
through the sound barrier, but no-one can give a definitive answer and
experts say that theory is unlikely.

David Galloway, assistant seismologist at the British Geographical
Survey, said their national and regional monitors would normally trace
things such as a sonic boom.

He added: "I have checked the system for half an hour either side of the
time the noise was reported and absolutely nothing came up."

The "big bang" caused the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian
building to shake, while staff at South Holland District Council thought
the noise had come from within their building because it was so loud.

Press officer Sharon Dabell said: "There is an attic above my head and I
thought the noise had come from something heavy being dropped in there."
Pedestrians in Spalding town centre stopped dead on hearing the noise
while several cars in the Sheep Market pulled over.

The noise was heard by residents in Gedney, Bourne, Baston and even as
far away as Eye, although most believe the source of the noise was
directly above Spalding.

The Lincolnshire Free Press received several calls from concerned
residents on Wednesday afternoon as people tried to establish what has
happened.

Noel Pullford heard the bang and saw the ground shake while walking dogs
in Deeping High Bank.

He said: "There was a huge crack of noise and I could see the vibrations
come through the trees, which all moved, and then go right across the field.
"I would say it actually began in one spot and spread because there were
a lot of sheep in a field that ran away from where they were standing as
soon as it happened.

"It is really strange. I did not realise that it had been heard by so
many people."

Margaret Dark, of London Road, Spalding, said: "I thought there had been
an explosion or crash outside. It is very strange that no-one knows what
it was.

"It shook my windows and everyone outside stopped when it happened."
The force of the bang was so great that it turned off the fridges at
Sheep Market newsagent Classic News.

A local radio station claimed the noise had been caused by RAF Harrier
jets but that theory has been dismissed as the aircraft is incapable of
travelling faster than the speed of sound.

While there is a channel for military aircraft to use off the East of
England, RAF pilots make every effort not to travel above the speed of
sound and try to encourage pilots from other countries to avoid doing so.
Tony Walsh, of RAF Wittering, said: "I have no idea what might have
caused it but it was not us."

And a Ministry of Defence spokesman said there was no military activity
going on in the area which could have been responsible.
Received on Thu 26 Jan 2006 02:22:54 PM PST