Very Strange "non-earthquake" Rattles So. Cal.

Last night (3 March 09) about 9:30 pm I felt, along with thousands of other locals in Southern California, a very strange house-rattling that set us all on edge.

As a Physical Geog professor and long-time California resident I've experienced hundreds of earthquakes - and this wasn't one at all. None of the earthquake monitoring sites show anything of note, the local airports and regional military bases all say no operations, and nobody seems to know what caused it.

It was a quick rattling of a few seconds, rather noisy, causing the windows to rattle, doors to shake in their frames, and setting the dogs in the neighborhood off on a barking frenzy. There was no ground movement felt and the typical 'signs' we come to expect following an earthquake were altogether absent: chandeliers swinging, swimming pool water rocking back-and-forth, etc.

A quick check outside showed winds were calm - not a breath of air movement. Nothing was visible in the skies, though some reported that a sonic boom or recent asteroid flyby was the cause (doubtful). An asteroid passed recently, but was much too far to have an effect, especially such a localized one. NASA had no shuttle landing at nearby Edwards AFB, and no sonic 'boom' was heard in any case.

For a link to the story, please read the on-line newspaper article here.

What I find most fascinating is to read through some of the hundreds of witnesses that have written in seeking answers to the mystery. You can peruse through their comments directly below the article on the link above. the tone of befuddlement and exasperation the posters express is fascinating in itself. And this among die-hard earthquake-country residents!

So - what was it??? It was not an earthquake. The earthquake maps only show a tiny (very typical) trembler many miles away and twelve hours earlier - completely unrelated to this event.

I'm leaning toward a non-sonic type boom from an experimental or military aircraft far overhead - perhaps with a propulsion system or airframe that minimizes or mitigates the sonic part of the boom and we just felt the airwave disturbance traveling to the ground.

Any other theories out there??



[edit on 3/4/2009 by Outrageo]

No theory, but -

Monday night, March 2-3, my dog jumped into bed with me. She hasn't for years, and only then on really stormy nights with lots of thunder and lightning. ...No storm, and I checked - no major earthquakes anywhere.

Sounds like a related (albeit unexplained) phenomena to me.

Ok.. this is really really weird.. but the same thing happened this night at 5 am (local time) here in Águeda, Portugal. I woke with it and also because all dogs in the neighbourhood were barking like mad.. And also no report of earthquake what so ever..

Edit: I made some time zone calculations and.. that event ocurred at same time than here.. According to news source it ocurred at 9 pm there.. the difference in time between Portugal and California is 8 hours..

[edit on 4-3-2009 by Picao84]

Hi, rattled ATSer.

It looks much like what I did see in the X-files, when a
bizarre "vehicule' flew over them, and there was a change
of personnalities between Mulder and another guy. . . B-)

For YOUR experience, my guess is:
an electro/magneto/gravitational/anti-gravitational **vehicule**
flew over your spot. . .

Blue skies.

I will chime in here from N. Cal. This morning around 9:30ish I thought we were having an EQ. Windows rattled and there was a slight 'boom' in the air. Not a 'pow' boom, but more mellow. I was ready to duck and roll, then nothing.

All over, weird things are beginning to happen.

I'm going to guess underground blasting somwhere not to far from you. do you know of any highway or tunnel construction going on or perhapse there is a mine they are working in.

Well I have nothing to add in terms of answers. But, I found this;

www.rense.com...

FORT FISHER, N.C. -- The sound rolls in off the ocean like an invisible tidal wave, washing over houses with enough force to rattle windows and startling people who look uneasily to the ground and to the sky for an explanation.

Boom. Rattle. Rattle boom. And it is over as quickly as it began.

The mysterious noises have been reported as far back as the 1850s.

Now, a Duke University seismologist hopes to find clues about the mystery sound's origins as a side benefit from an earthquake research project.

Its been going on there for over 100 years according to this.

More on these sounds.

earthquake.usgs.gov...

The term “Seneca guns” is just a name, not an explanation. It does not tell us anything about what causes these noises and shakings. The name originated in a short story that James Fennimore Cooper wrote during the 1800’s. The name refers to booms that have been heard on the shores of Lake Seneca and Lake Cayuga in New York State. The name has been applied to similar noises along the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Similar booms are called Barisol guns in coastal India. These phenomena have also occurred in three widely separated places around the world. That’s about all we know about the Seneca guns.

[edit on 4-3-2009 by Illusionsaregrander]

We had an enormously loud sounding plane (we think) go over us last night. We commented on how low it must have been as it sounded as if it was going to hit our home.
Today - there was another one - this time I was outside and witnessed a very loud - and very low military looking jet. Very unusual looking.
Perhaps they are doing some military testing here?

Very unsettling.

reply to post by Outrageo


I actually do remember a "Matrix wobble" as I call it sometimes when things seem to shake or wave around that time yesterday. I've been living in socal all my life too am definitely used to Earth quakes. I thought I might have just been feeling something else, but maybe it's the same thing. I've also noticed late at night you can hear/feel very deep sounding pulses. Almost like a concussion wave but I can't imagine what would cause it, surface construction-wise it would have to be some serious post-pounding going on to make this frequency.

Thanks for the links, Illusions...

I'm a little disappointed in the USGS 'explanation', particularly in the section where they attempt to dispel any speculations by 'educating' us on what the phenomenon is NOT, including this bit of naivete:

[...it is not:]Top secret military activity: the problem with this explanation is that it’s too easy. Centuries ago people called on magic the same way. There’s no way to disprove this idea as a cause of Seneca guns, because if it’s top secret we won’t know about it, but I’ve never seen any reason to take the explanation seriously. Sure, the military has lots of secrets, but something big enough to cause Seneca guns in so many regions, including India, would be really hard to keep secret. One of the great things about America is that it’s hard to keep big secrets here. Most of us, including me, would be eager to share a really big secret with friends and family, and if we weren’t lots of reporters would be glad to do it for us.

:

Especially where the writer flat-out declares that the military would be unable to keep something 'this big' a secret. Ha HA ha! First of all - a sonic boom or whatever is NOT all that "Big" as far as secrets go. Second, and even more laughable, is the writer's assertion that since he and his family would be "eager to share a big secret" that of course means that everyone in the military/industrial community would do so as well. Gimme a break. His corollary: Since know one has blabbed to the MSM, then no secrets exist. Sheesh. This guy needs to step out of his closet a bit further.

Anyway - thanks for some interesting reading nonetheless. There were some fascinating facts in there. Not an answer to what this phenomena was as yet - and a few 'opinions' that were hardly realistic, much less scientific, but interesting anyway.

Not sure where in socal you are but I know the local bases have been pretty active with "training" as they said in the register recently. I'm sitting very close to Los Al and get to see all kinds of fun stuff fly by & got some great pics for that matter Here's an odd one I caught about a year ago actually...

Kind of big...
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f7c5d970fbb2.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/55183262edeb.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5929ed452e0e.jpg[/atsimg]

Sgt. Clifford Stone affirmed a suspision I had for awhile that Edwards AFB in particular is "UFO/Exotic Tech" central. That coupled with the NAvy depot/Army training base in Los Al, Palm Springs, Pendleton, & Catalina all close by, I would imagine a lot of stuff goes on right under our noses here & we're none the wiser.

Originally posted by Outrageo

Especially where the writer flat-out declares that the military would be unable to keep something 'this big' a secret. Ha HA ha! First of all - a sonic boom or whatever is NOT all that "Big" as far as secrets go.

Agreed. Although the fact that these booms have been going on in some places for a hundred years or better does raise an eyebrow.

I know this is farfetched, but this is ATS, what if these booms are caused by technology, but just not human technology? Maybe cloaked alien craft? Water UFOs? Not saying they are, but who knows?

Another link on the subject.

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 4-3-2009 by Illusionsaregrander]

Yeah Shakes - I know what you mean...

But, like you, I've lived in So Cal a l-o-n-g time and I've never once experienced this kind of effect from ANY military aircraft in the skies around here - and the skies in these parts are ALWAYS buzzing with stuff. Why only just now - just this one time? Over 400 local people have now written in to the news outlet - this clearly something nobody around here is used to...

Update: Darn it! The local news outlet has just changed their lead-in story! I should have grabbed the first press releases when they came out this morning.

Anyway - They now have some expert on there that they are quoting as saying that it was in fact a sonic boom that occurred in the skies offshore over the Pacific and 'rolled' on shore rattling thousands of houses like no sonic boom I've ever experienced - and I've felt/heard many.

Somehow the expert glosses over the fact that his sonic boom was not at all "sonic". From what I see, a majority of the posters on the news thread aren't buying it either. Some pilots and counter-experts have weighed in challenging the explanation now given.

Seems like the news people are now trying to put a lid on the story. Make it go away and everybody just 'move along - nothing to see here..."

Why would they do that?

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander

Originally posted by Outrageo

I know this is farfetched, but this is ATS,

what if these booms are caused by technology, but just not human technology? Maybe cloaked alien craft? Water UFOs? Not saying they are, but who knows?

Another link on the subject.

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 4-3-2009 by Illusionsaregrander]

Hehe ... I thought about the very same thing this morning when I felt that one. I've lived in Cali my whole life, I know what military training sounds like, I know what waves sound like, I know what earthquakes feel/sound like.

I just haven't felt this type of thing before. Too bad I was among fellow workers (sleepers), I had to go along with them in the "oh, what was that?" When I was really thinking... hmm, they're heeeeere!

darn quotes

[edit on 4-3-2009 by blujay]

Interesting how so many people thought their homes were being broken into. All the animals seemed to react to it as well.

Could this be a weather related incident?
It seems odd that everything rattled but no movement felt on the ground, which is why I'd think it originated from the upper atmosphere, rather than in the ground.

I live near a train track and so windows will rattle, pictures on the walls etc, but of course I'll feel it if I'm sitting down as well. It can feel like small tremors, so I wouldn't immediately recognise a smalll quake if one were to occur.

[edit on 5-3-2009 by violet]

reply to post by Outrageo

a very strange house-rattling that set us all on edge.

Wow...


I've been trippin' on this for a whole day almost...I live in Huntington Beach, and at the time you posted in your OP we were sitting on the bed watching a replay of the Gunners sodomizing West Brom when all of a sudden the bedroom door (which is shut) starts moving like someone is trying to open it.

No windows open, no fans blowing air...just a 'door-seizure' with no ground movement to accompany it.

Started thinking of all the paranormal stories posted here and how I flame them big time on a regular basis...I thought: "O' man, I'm about to get a front row seat into Paranormal Ville, and it ain't gonna be fun..!!"

Now, I'm still confused, but feel a little more secure knowing others felt it as well...

Originally posted by Outrageo
As a Physical Geog professor

Great to have such expertise on the boards,

I'm leaning toward a non-sonic type boom

Please educate me, I am a bit confused to say the least.

From the explanation you have given and links shown and checked, this affected all things within the Atmosphere.

It was obviously a atmospheric type event, you know rapid change in Air pressure and such like, whatever it was it occurred using the medium of Air to propagate the Energy.

I am sure from what you have said, the EQ reports showing no transference of the energy from the ground to all these houses etc, that we must be in agreement it therefore as stated above had to be transferred somehow in the medium of the Atmosphere, to include all the Air within it.

How then is it possible for any Non SONIC TYPE BOOM to occur within the atmosphere?

If it goes through the Air/Atmosphere it has to be by its very nature and very simple high school and college science be understood as having to be an Sonic Boom.

I am unaware of energy moving in the Air in any other way that could explain this, and I am very confused due to your above statement that you believe it could as well.....

If it was a Thermal Boom lol the houses would catch on fire before they opened and shaked.
We Know Kinetic energy travels in the atmosphere as sound waves, or as wind with pressures falling and rising etc,
Electrical energy being liberated would turn into electrical and lightening, Chemical energy could only create an Explosion and thermal etc, we will leave the ridiculousness of nuclear out of this, Magnetic does not interact with Wooden doors as described.

What form of energy or type of boom do you think is possible then in the medium that carried it in your experience? Thermal and Potential may I suppose in extreme circumstances create a massive downdraft etc, extreme weather, but the wind recordings show for that time in Calif just normal for season. I am sure you checked that.

Perplexed to be honest, both by the event and some of your post's statements of facts.

Elf

reply to post by Outrageo


part of what is to be expected as we enter closer to our galactic center.

A precursor to the shifting of the earths axis. Space energy hitting us and giving a heads up to get it together real soon, find your heart and center.

Originally posted by antar
reply to post by Outrageo

 

part of what is to be expected as we enter closer to our galactic center.

A precursor to the shifting of the earths axis. Space energy hitting us and giving a heads up to get it together real soon, find your heart and center.

What you said is ringing a bell. I found this article after we go hit in South Florida with four booms so loud that they shook our entire house. My elderly neighbor called to find out what was going on but we couldn't tell what happened. I found this post and it sounds like it might be close to what you are describing.

Anyway a lot of strange things are going on and it really does feel like it is escalating; towards what I can only guess.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 4-3-2009 by NightSkyeB4Dawn]

reply to post by MischeviousElf


Non-sonic boom as in it did NOT make a sound. There was only the rattling of the thousands of houses in the area - almost none of the some 400 responders to the local press had heard any sound whatsoever. In other words, we felt the aftereffects of what might have been a VERY large, very close sonic boom - but without the sound. Does that make sense?

Almost as if the entire several hundred square mile area was blasted with a violent aftershock from a boom-like event in the atmosphere, but without the preliminary thunderclap or explosive boom sound you would've expected immediately before the shaking and rattling.

The more I think about it the less I believe this explanation however, since I've heard and felt hundreds of normal sonic booms in the area before - everything from landing space shuttles to supersonic aerial maneuvers by military jets (Miramar/Edwards/March/Vandenberg AFBs all nearby) - and I never felt the rock-and-roll like this one.

Sonic boom with no sound? Earthquake with no earth movement? The truth is, NOBODY yet has offered a convincing argument as to what the heck it was...