Odd Sonic Booms - Edwards AFB

originally posted by: nelloh62
a reply to: Zaphod58

Well, someone is flying some sort of craft very high, and very, very fast, as I have personally observed it in daylight hours. Directly overhead and no noise whatsoever. Horizon to horizon, clear blue sky. This was at least a twin engined craft.
Now, my question is, does height have any effect on sonic boom heard at ground level ?
Can a craft, say flying at 80000-100000ft, flying supersonic/hypersonic be heard at ground level ?
I believe the shuttle could be heard leaving sonic booms on re-entry.

You won't hear the boom when the aircraft is directly overhead. While the aircraft causing it is going supersonic, the speed of the overpressure wave that causes the boom is limited to the speed of sound. So it takes a while to get from 40,000 feet to the ground, and during that time the aircraft has flown on. As far as flyinh high to avoid creating a boom, it doesn''t really work. The XB-70, flying at 70,000 feet made quite a boom. As long as there is enough air to compress, you will get an overpressure wave, and that is what a boom is, as is all sound. DARPA is working on "boomless" designs.

a reply to: F4guy

While I cant argue your point I can affirm that there are several things flying over los angeles regularly enough that dont boom and I don't think its just one platform.

Ive seen something that was bright green haul ass and it made no boom. This was a few years ago. Got no idea what it was but it werent no meteor.

Then there was this triangle looking doohicky that did supersonic at a few thousand feet and made no boom. It was the weirdest of all. Considering the location it was doing this in. That was a few years ago.

Just recently a few months ago I saw a trio of stoplight red lights flying in formation at high altitude doing hypersonic over los angeles at 3am. At first I thought thats a weird group of satellites until the middle one in the formation broke off and changed course heading north while the other two went west and out over the ocean.

Then theres this big Fuzzy yellow looking lozenge shaped light that does the same.

I think the boomless designs darpas working on is for smaller fighter sized aircraft.


Then theres that light that crosses the sky at unbelievable speeds that occasionally makes "jumps" and seemingly right angled turns. God knows what that is (I have a feeling sone folks here know exactly what that is)

Anyways if you live in southern california look up more often. Sometimes youll see some crazy stuff. Even in broad daylight.

I'm very intrigued by this as I have heard similar over Northern Nevada. One sonic boom followed by three more. I could understand a training exercise out by Fallon, but these were above Reno.

originally posted by: dzeleniak
I'm very intrigued by this as I have heard similar over Northern Nevada. One sonic boom followed by three more. I could understand a training exercise out by Fallon, but these were above Reno.

There are numerous MOAs around Reno. You have Fallon North and South; Churchhill MOA and Ranch High and Low. Restricted Areas R-2810, 2812, 2813A and 2816N are in northern Nevada.

a reply to: SecretGoldfish

Mysterious Noises Plaguing Southern California Town

Are these the same noises to which you are referring? They are definitely from above ground then?

I was going to say something about the Mandela Effect but I couldn't get it in there fluidly...

I hope the booms are coming from above ground, testing from base makes more sense than underground digging. Earth shifting is a possibility too.

a reply to: bonsaihorn

Good find. Being familiar with both locations, I would say "no" for a couple reasons. One, the two locations are separated by a mountain range, and, two, the city booms, besides seeming of a (near) ground origin, seem to be centered on one specific area of the city. My guess is for the city to check to see if any local country clubs are blasting gopher/squirrel holes on their golf courses. There are devices that pump propane and oxygen into the holes, then ignite the gas. It makes a boom, and hopefully the rodent problem is quickly gone.