For more than two centuries, mysterious sounds have been resounding intermittently in the skies of different regions of the world. These “celestial quakes”, which are sometimes compared to explosions or tremors, have not yet found a clear scientific explanation. Despite technological advances and multiple proposed hypotheses, these sonic explosions continue to confound the scientific community. Several universities, including the University of North Carolina, have tried to unravel this mystery by analyzing seismic and atmospheric data without significant success.
These sounds, which are heard in the United States, Belgium and Japan, appear to appear without any apparent cause or detectable natural event. What makes this phenomenon even more exciting is that it can have diverse origins, ranging from meteors flying through the atmosphere to unexplained geological processes. Efforts are continuing to understand these common manifestations, but the question remains unanswered.
Sounds without a rational explanation
The first reports of “celestial earthquakes” date back to 1811, during a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in New Madrid, Missouri. On that day, residents heard loud sounds reminiscent of the cannon fire that accompanied the earthquakes. In 1886, a similar phenomenon occurred in Charleston, South Carolina. A 7.3 magnitude earthquake was followed by frequent humming sounds and explosions for several weeks.
However, these sounds are not exclusively associated with earthquakes. Above Seneca Lake in New York State, similar sounds are regularly produced, called “Seneca riffles.” This is without specifying any seismic event. Which increases the confusion of scientists. These explosions, localized but persistent, have since been heard as far away as Japan and Belgium or in the Ganges Delta and the Bay of Bengal.
These sound phenomena appear to appear without a clear connection to direct natural events, such as earthquakes or storms. Faced with this mystery, many studies have been carried out, but none of them have led to a definite explanation. Hypotheses vary, ranging from meteorites exploding in the atmosphere to waves amplified by ocean storms. But none of these apply to all observed cases. In the absence of concrete evidence, scientists struggle to provide a single, precise cause, making these airbursts as mysterious as they are alarming.
Multiple hypotheses but incomplete
In an attempt to solve the mystery of “celestial earthquakes,” scientists have explored several approaches. One of the most studied hypotheses is the racing car hypothesis, as we mentioned previously. They are meteorites that explode when they enter the Earth's atmosphere. When these orbs disintegrate at high speed, they generate a sonic boom similar to the sound of an airplane breaking the sound barrier.
This phenomenon actually explains some of the explosions heard. Especially in areas where these meteors pass unnoticed due to cloud cover or during the night. However, this theory does not seem sufficient to explain all observed cases. In fact, car explosions generally remain isolated and localized events. While earthquakes occur frequently and in areas sometimes very far from areas of documented meteorite activity.
Another hypothesis focuses on weather phenomena, particularly sea storms that amplify waves, or the release of underwater gases. These natural processes can generate sound waves that can travel long distances before becoming audible. According to Eli Bird, a researcher at the University of North Carolina IFLscienceThese sounds are amplified depending on specific weather conditions.
In particular, layers of heat or pressure carry sound waves farther than normal. This theory seems plausible for areas like Seneca Lake, where there are large blocks. But again, this does not explain the celestial tremors heard in areas that do not contain large bodies of water. Moreover, it does not provide a satisfactory answer regarding the recurring and universal nature of this phenomenon.
Extensive scientific investigations, but the bombings remain a dead end
In 2020, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina conducted an in-depth analysis of seismic and acoustic data from the EarthScope Transportable Array (ESTA) network, which consists of more than 400 stations across the United States. This network is designed to detect seismic events, as well as weather and acoustic phenomena. The team wanted to know if the earthquakes could be linked to previously undetected seismic activity.
They carefully compared seismic and acoustic data collected since 2013 with reports of mysterious sounds in certain areas. However, researchers have found no direct relationship between these sounds and earthquakes or other underground activities. This lack of correlation with seismic events reinforces the hypothesis that this noise originates in the atmosphere. Although the exact nature of this phenomenon remains unclear.
Eli Bird and his team also studied other ways to explain these airbursts. They thought about race cars, but there was still very little data. For the team, possible explanations for other events also range from storm surges and tsunamis amplifying in a certain direction, to methane flaring from methane hydrate deposits, to geomagnetic storms.
However, as Baird points out, these hypotheses are just speculation at this point, as no conclusive evidence has been collected to confirm that these events are the actual cause of skyquakes. This complexity, combined with the irregularity and geographical diversity of noise, makes it difficult to pinpoint a single cause.
