Loud Boom in Alabama (Radar "Pings"?)

A loud boom was heard in multiple counties in Alabama today (3:15ish pm their local time) and the weather man reported chaff in the air by radar pinging back long trails of 'something'. The boom could be felt as well.

Source

Wondering if this is related to Russia claiming it will begin activities in the Gulf of Mexico?

Source

I saw a post earlier about a loud boom (explosion sound) over in PA that was unexplained.

Thread Here

Neither event returned any USGS activity. Weather was clear in Alabama - so it was likely not thunder.

Maybe it's all related? Thoughts? Opinions?

a reply to: KaDeCo



A current USGS screenshot as of 11:05 pm (pst) November 14th, 2014 showing no activity in the last few days in either area.

Redstone tests chaff all over the area, they are developing a classified type of chaff that sheds its metallization in midair so the chaff tail is harder to identify.

a reply to: Bedlam


The timing for readiness tests makes sense from the assertion from the Russians they'd move into the Gulf of Mexico. I don't know - there's been so many incursions into airspace and waters lately that these sorts of events put my spidey senses on edge. I hope you're right.

Can you link a source to that? I'm really interested in knowing. The chaff could be explained (if it was chaff) but would they be practicing so closely to civilian airspace with sonic booms?

Also if our Nexrad / Doppler can still pick it up, does that mean their stealth chaff failed? Or am I misunderstanding?

originally posted by: Bedlam
Redstone tests chaff all over the area, they are developing a classified type of chaff that sheds its metallization in midair so the chaff tail is harder to identify.

Yeah, Bedlam, I need to know about this. Once it sheds the metallization, does is leave wispy silk-like, or cocoon'ish looking material, that floats down and bobs around on the breeze?

Is there anywhere to get that info about Redstone and Chaff?

originally posted by: KaDeCo
a reply to: Bedlam


The timing for readiness tests makes sense from the assertion from the Russians they'd move into the Gulf of Mexico. I don't know - there's been so many incursions into airspace and waters lately that these sorts of events put my spidey senses on edge. I hope you're right.

Can you link a source to that? I'm really interested in knowing. The chaff could be explained (if it was chaff) but would they be practicing so closely to civilian airspace with sonic booms?

Also if our Nexrad / Doppler can still pick it up, does that mean their stealth chaff failed? Or am I misunderstanding?

You pick it up, that's the function of chaff. But if dropped right, it won't form typical chaff tails. The idea is to mask the location of the chaffer. If that's a word.

originally posted by: The GUT

originally posted by: Bedlam
Redstone tests chaff all over the area, they are developing a classified type of chaff that sheds its metallization in midair so the chaff tail is harder to identify.

Yeah, Bedlam, I need to know about this. Once it sheds the metallization, does is leave wispy silk-like, or cocoon'ish looking material, that floats down and bobs around on the breeze?

Yes. It comes in two forms, one's fiberglass, the other is biodegradable cellulose.

Is there anywhere to get that info about Redstone and Chaff?

Not from a phone in the contractors breakroom lol. I'll see if I can find something from the house later.

Redstone tests chaff all over the area

Yea they do it a lot, and they test bombs or something all the time, so I don't think I will ever know what a sonic boom sounds like

I lived in that are all of my life. My wife is there now while I am deployed. It shook the house for 15 seconds. Was not a sonic boom or an earthquake. It's never happened in my life down there or my wife's. She was born and raised there. I think it's a funny coincidence this happens right after the Russian BS.

Don't freak out conspiracy theorists. I live in Huntsville, al. Where Redstone is. They are blowing up old munitions. Has been going on for a week and supposed to be going on for another week Heard al the way south to culman. these booms are a daily basis hear. Some people got pisses last week because the boom blew out some Windows.

Move along, nothing to see here.

a reply to: WanderingSage

Some of the long "sonic booms" going on out there are engine tests of something dear to zaphod's heart.

a reply to: GroidNificent

Yeah, covered that on the explosions in Huntsville thread.10/27 was an especially good day. The base has an online claim form up.

But the long booms are not the demolition project.

a reply to: Bedlam

It sure would be nice to be able to see this craft. I hope it's appearance in the general public will be soon. Perhaps just in time to display a little technology to those in the gulf.

a reply to: KaDeCo

Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL usually test chaff a lot. If you Google "Redstone Arsenal Chaff" you will see plenty of links showing it on radar in the past.

a reply to: Staroth

Yeah but Redstone Arsenal is at the top of Alabama the booms were heard at the bottom of Alabama in Baldwin County

originally posted by: WanderingSage
a reply to: Staroth

Yeah but Redstone Arsenal is at the top of Alabama the booms were heard at the bottom of Alabama in Baldwin County

There's more than one conversation going on in the thread...

The ones down by Baldwin County are likely from P-NAS. Heh.

a reply to: Bedlam

Yeah I've been to NAS a thousand times. Only thing it could be from them is a sonic boom.

a reply to: WanderingSage

And that's a bad explanation...why?

They've got plenty of ways to cause them. If they were happening a bit farther north in Alabama, there are other possibilities, but those are likely P-NAS.

a reply to: Bedlam

I didn't say it wasn't possible bro, I just said that would it's usually the only thing coming out of NAS. But the local news is saying it was not a sonic boom. So I'm just saying.