Sonic boom causes local earth tremors, explain please

Earlier this morning there was a tremor which shook doors, windows, walls, and the ground for about 5 seconds, felt in Brisbane/Australia and it's surrounding areas. At first, everyone presumed that it was an earth quake, however, later it was confirmed that a Royal Australian Airforce F1-11 located approximately 60 nautical miles of the coast was to blame for the apparent sonic boom effect.

Here is the defences spokesmans reply to the event:

Boom not an earthquake

Defence spokesman Paul Lineham said the F1-11 had been conducting engine tests about 60 nautical miles off the coast in a designated supersonic area.

Mr Lineham said it was highly unusual for the "boom" to travel so far and it had most probably travelled in an inversion layer between two different temperature levels.

What I want to know is if someone can verify that a sonic boom can actually "travel in an inversion layer between two different temperature levels", or whatever that means. If so, then ok it probably was the jet, but am I the only one to think that this is highly unplausable considering the effect it had on such a large area. That or do I just not know a thing about what sonic booms and their capabilities? Or are we dealing with somekind of cover up here. From what I hear, isn't there a rather large volcano under and between Australia and New Zealand that could have caused it? Please assist me in this.

deaf fences hit

The consiparicist in me wants to say it's the Aurora...

But alas, the realist in me says it's the F-111

Sonic booms feel like an eathquake and an A-Bomb all @ once. Its unreal to experience one. Window break, walls crack and pictures come off the walls. Grown men tremble in their boots!

[edit on 13-10-2004 by IntelRetard]

It seems the "boom" carpet beneath the aircraft wides one mile per thousand feet below the aircraft. Intensity is also determined by the weight and shape of the craft, not to mention the speed which creates overpressures.The aircraft flew it's test path at around 160m. Plus it seems that such test have been done before without any detection from the coast residents. However, 142km of the coast felt the tremor it somehow produced. Keep in mind it was 60 miles off shore.

Mystery Boom Rattles Australia's Queensland Coast

Earthquake sensors did not register a disturbance, even though the 15-second "boom" hit thousands of homes between Buderim and North Stradbroke Island.

Earthquake monitoring centres were flooded with calls that a tremor had hit just after 3.30pm, but no damage was reported.

Last night the RAAF admitted that one of its F-111s had gone supersonic east of Ballina in NSW. But they played down the chances that the jet was cause of the boom.

RAAF Wing Commander Rob Lawson said the F-111, flying at 160m, finished its manoeuvre 100km off the coast at Beenleigh.

He said he could not rule out the possibility that the jet had caused the "tremor". But "we go supersonic there all the time and people in Brisbane don't ever notice it," he said.

Air traffic control agency Airservices Australia said last night there was an area of air space off the coast where military aircraft were permitted to fly faster than sound.

Spokesman Richard Dudley said while that area did not extend as far north as Bribie Island, it was possible given certain weather and wind conditions that the sound of a sonic boom might travel some distance.

"However, that would not explain vibrations people reported experiencing," Mr Dudley said.

Another similar story from South Carolina that was passed off as a mystery.

Random similar coincidence?

Other links related to topic:

The F111: Stats

What is a Sonic Boom?

Yes, I do believe the sonic boom explaination.

Before there were regulations on such things, it wasn't unusual to get them over the army bases where I grew up. And yes, they'd rattle the windows and shake the place up. I've never been in an earthquake, but they sure are startling.

Last one I heard was in Florida, as the shuttle was landing (it also creates sonic booms... one from the nose and one from the tail.)

Back when I was a kid, before transonic flight over populated areas was banned, the Air National Guard aircraft would create sonic booms over my hometown alot. Everything would shake for a moment as the shock wave rolled through. Granted they were not 60 miles away, but sonic booms registering as tremors doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

im from brisbane, australia and im fine with the F-111 explaination

This is kinda wierd that this just came up, since I just recently came across this video. I'm sure it is an old video but it is of a F-14 doing a low fly by. members.iinet.net.au...