Mysterious blob over Indiana - military related

UPDATE @ 10:53 p.m.: The National Weather Service confirms with the military that countermeasures / chaff was released south of Indianapolis this evening, which cauSo what was it?
While we are still not 100 percent sure, it appears a military base nearby was testing an anti-missile defense system that uses something called “chaff” or “countermeasures.”
Chaff consists of small fibers that reflect radar signals, and when dispensed in large quantities from aircraft form a type of cloud that temporarily hides the aircraft from radar detection.sed the mysterious “blob” to show up.

Mysterious blob over Indiana - military related


Do any Indiana ATS members see anything strange?

Same thing in Georgia two months ago.......it was fibers that float in the air well.....

anti-missile

sigh,

aluminum-coated glass is being released in the atmosphere and no one seems to care.........

Well, the government says it's safe so I guess that's good enough for everyone.

a reply to: Daughter2

I guess you guys in the States can breathe in a big sigh of relief ...

* coughing

🙄

I was a blackhawk crew dog for 4 years. In that time we messed with all kinds of radar systems when we were performing tactical maneuver training.

Just look around any military base with significant aviation assets. I was in the 1st Infantry division. You'll probably see all kinds of stuff on radar as a result of us popping flares and chaff.

a reply to: Daughter2

Would you like to see the size of a single chaff bundle?



They're usually released in groups, but you're still talking about a tiny amount of material being released.

originally posted by: Daughter2
sigh,

aluminum-coated glass is being released in the atmosphere and no one seems to care.........

Well, the government says it's safe so I guess that's good enough for everyone.

That is dissipated by the wind and carried off very far and in such low concentrations as to not be an issue.

a reply to: projectvxn

It ends up somewhere.

Ecosystem friendly ... I'm sure.

Gubbermint will verify if pushed .

a reply to: Timely

It ends up so spread out that a few strands land at a time. They've done studies that show that the amounts required to have an effect on the environment would need essentially continuous releases over years, concentrated in one area.


www.env.gov.nl.ca...

a reply to: Zaphod58

So, could this have any connection to the GPS-blocking exercises the military is conducting currently on the west coast of the US?

The timing is....Interesting.

a reply to: Bhadhidar

No, chaff is released on pretty much a daily basis by aircraft training. This was just caught on weather radar. The China Lake testing wouldn't be affected by chaff.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bhadhidar

No, chaff is released on pretty much a daily basis by aircraft training.

No effect with build up over time ?

Wind patterns will see stuff dumped in regular places.

a reply to: Timely

Look up at the picture of the chaff bundles. You'd have to drop millions of those, if not more to get an effect on the environment.

a reply to: Timely

I also think you're way over estimating any damage this stuff causes.

Chaff is perfectly safe. NO ONE has ever been harmed by exposure to chaff.

a reply to: projectvxn

Fair enough.

Myvthoughts lie with the fact that this stuff has been released daily en-masse.

Aluminium is a known health hazard and it is coming to rest in the environment.

1 cigarette won't do much harm ... yet years of smoking takes a toll ...

Just being anti ... 🐽

The materials in chaff are generally nontoxic except in quantities significantly larger than those any human or animal could reasonably be exposed to from chaff use. Safety risks were found to be extremely low and isolated to specific circumstances that can be avoided or managed. The primary issue is the potential for interference with air traffic control radar, which is managed by requiring units to obtain a frequency clearance from the USAF Frequency Management Center and Headquarters Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prior to using chaff that could interfere with air traffic control radar. Air quality issues included questions about the potential for chaff to break down into respirable particle sizes and the possibility that hazardous air pollutants may be generated from pyrotechnic impulse cartridges used with some chaff models. 'Ibe results of chaff particulate tests and a screening health risk assessment concluded that these are not significant concerns.

The potential for chaff to affect soil and water is remote. Levels of use and accumulation would have to be extremely high to generate any significant adverse effects. Laboratory tests of chaff, using a modified toxic characteristics leaching procedure, indicated little or no potential for adverse effects on soil. Adverse effects to sensitive aquatic organisms, although unlikely, may be possible in certain small, confined water bodies. These should be addressed on a case-by-case basis in areas proposed for chaff use that include highly sensitive aquatic habitats.

Link

Not really sure if site is trustworthy, but this is what I figured. There is a LOT of nasty crap floating around. I'm thinking you're in more trouble breathing the air on a nice Saturday when everyone is mowing their lawns.

originally posted by: Timely
a reply to: projectvxn

It ends up somewhere.

Ecosystem friendly ... I'm sure.

Gubbermint will verify if pushed .

Some of it actually IS. Instead of fiberglass, they use cellulose. Degrades after a while.

a reply to: Bedlam

Thank you .

At least ... "some of it " is OK. 🐤

originally posted by: Timely

Aluminium is a known health hazard and it is coming to rest in the environment.

It's something like the 8th most common element in Earth's crust, naturally.

a reply to: Timely

I understand that. However, the level of accumulation of this stuff is just about undetectable. It would take millions of years to amass enough material for toxic levels to even begin to show up.

It doesn't matter anyway because radar and weapons countermeasures are changing rapidly. I went through 2 iterations of CMWS, and the following generation will have laser countermeasures(This is public domain information).

Fact is chaff isn't harmful. But it is also an aging technology that, while still effective, will one day encounter a weapon that it cannot confuse.