What caused the massive explosions in Russia?

In summary: The asteroid is on a different trajectory and will miss us by a huge margin."I don't think its coincidence, suppose the asteroid was at one time a larger mass and collided with another asteroid causing many smaller fragments to travel along the same trajectory. I'd expect more meteors during and after the event too.
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  • #2
Looks like it blew up right before hitting the ground, might be a lot of small pieces.
 
  • #3
I have seen at least two videos with a loud shock wave - and it is apparent people were shooting the video for many seconds before the bang. It exploded high above the ground, probably over 10 km.
 
  • #4
Its obviously a secret military experiment ;) Or aliens! Definately aliens!
 
  • #5
Wow, unreal. It isn't clear to me from what I've read/seen so far if it was a sonic boom or explosion that caused all of the damage.

[edit] Reading the wiki on the Tunguska event, it says that "Fat Man" nuclear bomb sized explosions (10-20 KT) happen in the upper atmosphere about once a year (!). Tunguska-sized events (10-20MT) perhaps once every 300 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event
 
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  • #6
Meteorite explosion over Russia: Chelyabinsk Meteor shower

Meteorite explosion over Russia: Chelyabinsk Meteor shower










http://file25.content-video.ru/Out/WebM/20130215/2013_02_15_RIAMETEORNAREZKAmix_x4pl0pgu.4r5.webm


As you probably are aware, today, should pass near Earth an asteroid, 2012 DA14, at a very close range, nearly 25-27 thousand km above Earth. This morning in Chelyabinsk (Russia) was registered a meteor shower, as a result 500 people were injured and thousands of buildings got windows broken.

Is it an interesting coincidence or it's the shower before the storm.. ?
 
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  • #7
I can't watch the video from work but, I'm looking forward to it later today. From what I've read, a lot of people were injured by flying glass. Note to self: Stay away from the windows if you see a really bright meteor.
 
  • #8
"Experts say the explosion took place 5 km above the ground" - judging from the videos I have a feeling time to reach the surface was much longer than 15 seconds (plus people had to get the cameras and switch them on, which adds at least 10 seconds more). But then I have not tried to measure it.
 
  • #9


I don't think its coincidence, suppose the asteroid was at one time a larger mass and collided with another asteroid causing many smaller fragments to travel along the same trajectory. I'd expect more meteors during and after the event too.
 
  • #10


I believe we'll get more info from NASA reports in a few days, as I am sure there were other "pieces" fallen in the oceans.
 
  • #11
Borek said:
"Experts say the explosion took place 5 km above the ground" - judging from the videos I have a feeling time to reach the surface was much longer than 15 seconds (plus people had to get the cameras and switch them on, which adds at least 10 seconds more). But then I have not tried to measure it.
Wow. 5 km is well within a jetliner's cruising altitude. I wonder if any were in the area? I'm guessing there weren't since there haven't been any reports of crashes or decompressions from broken windows.
 
  • #12
Borek said:
"Experts say the explosion took place 5 km above the ground" - judging from the videos I have a feeling time to reach the surface was much longer than 15 seconds (plus people had to get the cameras and switch them on, which adds at least 10 seconds more). But then I have not tried to measure it.

Yeah, I didn't think of that. It may well be a hoax via viral videos could be like the Toyota commercial of a truck survivng a meteor strike.

EDIT: Looking at the videos, it seems authentic although I noticed each video show it streaking from left to right meaning all the camera people were on one side of the meteor track.
 
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  • #14
More damage reports: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...xploded-doctors-treat-500-people-injured.html


A terrifying meteorite shower left more than 950 people injured, buildings devastated and the mobile network wiped out when it hit Russia this morning.

Brightly burning rocks could be seen for miles as they crashed at around 9.20am local time and one bystander described it 'like a scene from the Armageddon movie.'

The meteorite is believed to have landed in a lake near Chebarkul, a town in the neighbouring Chelyabinsk region.
 
  • #15
jedishrfu said:
I don't think its coincidence, suppose the asteroid was at one time a larger mass and collided with another asteroid causing many smaller fragments to travel along the same trajectory. I'd expect more meteors during and after the event too.
Greg Bernhardt said:
NASA is stating that the tracks are completely different.
NASA spokesman Steve Cole told CNN that scientists had determined that the Russian meteor was on a very different trajectory from the asteroid.
"They are completely unrelated objects -- it's a strange coincidence they are happening at the same time," he said.
 
  • #16
On a related note, a colleague here noticed that the video times are different. Some I'm wondering if some old videos have also been mixed in with the latest actual video.
 
  • #17
jedishrfu said:
On a related note, a colleague here noticed that the video times are different. Some I'm wondering if some old videos have also been mixed in with the latest actual video.

That actually makes them more likely to be authentic. :smile:
 
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  • #18
Borek said:
"Experts say the explosion took place 5 km above the ground" - judging from the videos I have a feeling time to reach the surface was much longer than 15 seconds (plus people had to get the cameras and switch them on, which adds at least 10 seconds more). But then I have not tried to measure it.

The cameras in the cars are on by default, no need to switch them on. (its related to car insurance that they carry always cameras)

We´ll have to wait for more detailed reports, but i´ve seen images of a building that received hits (a factory).
Actually more than 1 thousand reported injuries
 
  • #19
Has anyone heard from Evo yet?
 
  • #21
nsaspook said:
That actually makes them more likely to be authentic. :smile:

The reason I mentioned it was that one feed had a date of last year. The tracks look very similar so they appear authentic.
 
  • #22
I would have thought by now most would have accurate clocks. Cell phones are and police dash cams should be synced to GPS, with millisecond accuracy. Digital security cams are on networks that should sync to an internet time server every week or so and be accurate to a few seconds.

Standalone cameras are still a crap shoot but I wouldn't expect to see many on a quick-draw event.
 
  • #23
russ_watters said:
I would have thought by now most would have accurate clocks. Cell phones are and police dash cams should be synced to GPS, with millisecond accuracy. Digital security cams are on networks that should sync to an internet time server every week or so and be accurate to a few seconds.

Standalone cameras are still a crap shoot but I wouldn't expect to see many on a quick-draw event.

Many of the videos are from car dash-cams, everybody in the fussr has them because of the police and psychopath drivers.

http://mashable.com/2013/02/15/why-russians-have-dash-cams-caught-meteor/
 
  • #26
asteroids_are_natures_way_of_asking-110321.jpg
 
  • #27
This video shows the train in high detail with good audio of the sonic boom sequence.
 
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  • #29
nsaspook said:
This video shows the train in high detail with good audio of the sonic boom sequence.


That was one of the videos I have seen earlier.

Notice the bang comes around 30 sec - while the explosion didn't have to be exactly overhead, it was at least 10 km from the guy with the camera.

My understanding is that most of those injured are not victims of the direct meteorite hit, but of the shattered glass.
 
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  • #30
heh, the quote in that asteroid picture reminds me to check Neil Tyson's twitter..
 
  • #31
dydxforsn said:
heh, the quote in that asteroid picture reminds me to check Neil Tyson's twitter..

REDDITORS said the image came from Neil's feed.
 
  • #32
  • #33
Borg said:
NASA is stating that the tracks are completely different.

'A man' on the radio said that one track is North South and the other is East West so just a coincidence. I hope we have no coincidences in the UK.
 
  • #34
I'd like to see more confirmation, but here they've upped the size estimate by near an order of magnitude and the energy estimate by close to two:
The object that caused the Russian fireball, which damaged hundreds of buildings and wounded perhaps 1,000 people in the Chelyabinsk region, was originally probably about 50 feet (15 meters) in diameter and weighed roughly 7,000 tons, said Peter Brown, director of the Center for Planetary Science and Exploration at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.

From multiple sensors using multiple technologies, a best initial estimate of the total energy of the event is about 300 kilotons of TNT-equivalent
http://www.space.com/19822-russian-fireball-biggest-explosion-century.html

[edit] and the speed estimate to 40,000 mph (18km/s).
 
  • #35
So, I've gathered from this that we never saw this coming. I wonder if this is going to add impetus to develop a planetary defense system against this sort of thing...
 
<h2>1. What was the cause of the massive explosions in Russia?</h2><p>The cause of the massive explosions in Russia was a series of accidents at a military arms depot near the city of Achinsk. The explosions were triggered by a fire that spread to the depot's ammunition storage area.</p><h2>2. Were the explosions caused by a terrorist attack?</h2><p>No, the explosions were not caused by a terrorist attack. The Russian government has confirmed that the explosions were the result of accidents at the military arms depot.</p><h2>3. How many explosions occurred in Russia?</h2><p>There were a total of four major explosions that occurred in Russia. The first explosion was the largest and was followed by three smaller explosions.</p><h2>4. What type of explosives were involved in the explosions?</h2><p>The explosions were caused by a combination of various types of explosives, including artillery shells, mortar rounds, and tank ammunition. The exact types and quantities of explosives involved are still being investigated by authorities.</p><h2>5. How did the explosions affect the surrounding area?</h2><p>The explosions caused significant damage to the surrounding area, including shattered windows, damaged buildings, and disrupted power and gas supplies. At least eight people were injured and thousands were evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure.</p>

1. What was the cause of the massive explosions in Russia?

The cause of the massive explosions in Russia was a series of accidents at a military arms depot near the city of Achinsk. The explosions were triggered by a fire that spread to the depot's ammunition storage area.

2. Were the explosions caused by a terrorist attack?

No, the explosions were not caused by a terrorist attack. The Russian government has confirmed that the explosions were the result of accidents at the military arms depot.

3. How many explosions occurred in Russia?

There were a total of four major explosions that occurred in Russia. The first explosion was the largest and was followed by three smaller explosions.

4. What type of explosives were involved in the explosions?

The explosions were caused by a combination of various types of explosives, including artillery shells, mortar rounds, and tank ammunition. The exact types and quantities of explosives involved are still being investigated by authorities.

5. How did the explosions affect the surrounding area?

The explosions caused significant damage to the surrounding area, including shattered windows, damaged buildings, and disrupted power and gas supplies. At least eight people were injured and thousands were evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure.

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