Mysterious sounds in the stratosphere, recorded by American scientists, VI morning Obukhov RAS Sergey Kulichkov.
“There is an acoustic waveguide channel at the height of the stratosphere. There the sound can travel thousands of kilometers,” Kulichkov explained.
According to the scientist, in the lower stratosphere (10-12 km), which borders the troposphere, there is a minimum temperature or speed of sound. With a given wind direction, this minimum speed of sound will be maintained, so a waveguide is created for any infrasound (sound) source located at minimum heights. In it, sound can propagate hundreds of kilometers from the source without being absorbed too much.
This explains why scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact source of the mysterious sound, Kulichkov said. He also noted that you need to be familiar with all the research data to judge the origin of the sounds.
“In general, this question cannot be answered without recording the signals themselves. But there is absolutely no mysticism there!” Kulichkov stressed.
Previously scientists Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico made several plastic balls with a diameter and added infrasound sensors to them. Then the devices were sent into the stratosphere – up to an altitude of 20 km. There, the orbs picked up a strange sound: a low, repetitive rumble whose source could not be traced.
According to Kulichkov, he personally knows the authors of the study and is confident that it was done carefully and there can be no mistakes in the work.
“I am familiar with Dan (Daniel Bowman, a scientist at Sandia National Laboratory in the USA, one of the authors of the study). He is a serious scientist,” Kulichkov added.
According to the researchers, most sounds in the stratosphere are a reflection of terrestrial sounds: volcanic eruptions, thunderstorms, ocean waves, even traffic. This sound may be caused by a previously unknown atmospheric turbulence or an echo distorted beyond recognition.