Bloop Mystery solved according to NOAA

The Bloop mystery seems to be finally solved. For those unfamiliar, there are many threads here on ATS discussing it, but in brief, the Bloop was a powerful underwater sound detected by NOAA in 1997 that was traced to the south Pacific, west of the tip of South America. For many years, the origination of the of the sound was unknown, with theories from ranging from giant squid to Cthulhu.

Many researchers, including Christopher Fox of the NOAA and Phil Lobel, a marine biologist at Boston University, felt it was biological in origin

...the sound nicknamed Bloop is the most likely to come from some sort of animal, because its signature is a rapid variation in frequency similar to that of sounds known to be made by marine beasts. There's one crucial difference, however: in 1997 Bloop was detected by sensors up to 4800 kilometres apart. That means it must be far louder than any whale noise, or any other animal noise for that matter. Is it even remotely possible that some creature bigger than any whale is lurking in the ocean depths? Or, perhaps more likely, something that is much more efficient at making sound?

Unfortunately, it appears this theory is no longer valid as the NOAA has now identified the sound as icequakes generated by large icebergs as they crack and calve.

So sadly, the mystery of the bloop is solved, and it isn't the call of some massive unknown beast. However, there are still a whole bunch of other underwater mystery sounds that we're still scratching our heads about - hopefully they won't all relate to ice movement!

I called this back in 1998, but nobody believed me...

Very Interesting indeed - I covered this in the "unsolved X-Files thread" (see part 1 - signature below)

It was recorded as originating off the coast of Chile and was also picked up by multiple sensors.

It originated from a point about 1,500 miles west of the southern Chilean coast. It was powerful enough to be picked up on sensors located up to 3,000 miles away, making it one of the most powerful noises ever recorded underwater. The sound lasted for just over a minute and has not been detected since.

Alas........no super creature, underwater alien base or matrix glitch for me

BUT...you just never know (that's me clinging to the mystery )

S&F - great stuff!

Might a lame question, but here you go anyway.

If, as the NOAA states, it was simply ice cracking, and our cap ice is very quickly melting and no doubtedly cracking, why is this the one and only example we have of this?

I am not saying they are wrong, but with the rapid melting and breaking of our glaciers, and the worldwide equipment I imagine exists, would we not have recorded another similar sound?

There are a million bloop sounds that the NOAA has picked up, and no, they do not sound like biological entities.

You may want to speak with a few naval sonar operaters.
they might have some input in this.

This is what Cthulhu WANTS you to think.

Ia fhtagn! In his sleep, Great Cthulhu lies farting!

reply to post by grey580


Yep. And us Naval SONAR guys are laughing out loud with this explanation.

I wonder what it would sound like if you suddenly had an empty tunnel about yea long drilled through the water, and the water collapsed back into the tunnel at depth?

Originally posted by Daemonicon
Might a lame question, but here you go anyway.

If, as the NOAA states, it was simply ice cracking, and our cap ice is very quickly melting and no doubtedly cracking, why is this the one and only example we have of this?

I am not saying they are wrong, but with the rapid melting and breaking of our glaciers, and the worldwide equipment I imagine exists, would we not have recorded another similar sound?

From the source article:

The broad spectrum sounds recorded in the summer of 1997 are consistent with icequakes generated by large icebergs as they crack and fracture. NOAA hydrophones deployed in the Scotia Sea detected numerous icequakes with spectrograms very similar to “Bloop”.

I'm going to take a pass on this explanation. Subs have been listening to and recording stuff like this for decades and suddenly we're going to classify it as ice activity? Bull pucky.

reply to post by navy_vet_stg3


Do elaborate!
And as a side note on the thread in general, that's a really boring explanation. I much preferred the underwater monster-type explanations. Oh well...

reply to post by StalkerSolent


He can't; the Navy takes umbrage at discussing this.

However, it's legend among sonar/hydro operators. Find one you know, get them lubed up and ask them about "unusual targets". They'll know what you mean.

reply to post by Bedlam


Why am I not surprised? Well, thanks Bedlam!
Now to find myself some Navy sonar guys...

reply to post by StalkerSolent


Not gonna happen. My freedom trumps your curiosity. Seriously, can't talk about it.

You know how you drop some ice cubes in a glass of bourbon and hold it to your ear. You can heart the ice crack.
It goes bloop, bloop, bloopedy....

While we're at it we should cover the fact that flying saucers are actually flaming farts from swarms of bean eating bumblebees.

Ive always wondered if the bloop wasnt a massive gas release. Maybe a methane bubble? But surely that wnuld be easily identifiable even if it was huge. Granted, the Earth farting would be loud but the frequency should hold with other example even if the volume was 100x louder than any other recordings wouldnt it?


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a reply to: adjensen

The Bloop!

I was hoping for more from ats guess ill have to check reddit or something.

a reply to: westo

That doesn't sound like icequakes. I also think if it were icequakes we would be hearing this sound more often than stated.