What caused the massive explosions in Russia?

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The massive explosions in Russia on February 15, 2013, were caused by a meteorite that exploded approximately 5 kilometers above the ground, injuring over 950 people and damaging thousands of buildings. The event coincided with the close approach of asteroid 2012 DA14, but NASA confirmed that the two were unrelated. The meteorite, estimated to be about 15 meters in diameter and weighing around 7,000 tons, released energy equivalent to approximately 300 kilotons of TNT. Eyewitness accounts and numerous dash-cam videos documented the event, which was characterized by a bright flash followed by a loud sonic boom.

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Looks like it blew up right before hitting the ground, might be a lot of small pieces.
 
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.
 
Its obviously a secret military experiment ;) Or aliens! definitely aliens!
 
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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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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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.
 
"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.
 


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:
Hundreds reportedly injured!
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/world/europe/russia-meteor-shower/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
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..
 

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