World War II Bombing Raids Were 'Felt' In Space: Study
- 6 years ago
A recent study revealed that the bombing raids by Allied forces in World War II were “felt at [the] edge of space.”
According to a recent study, the bombing raids by Allied forces in World War II were "felt at [the] edge of space." The European Geosciences Union reports that researchers with the University of Reading "have revealed the shockwaves produced by huge bombs dropped by Allied planes on European cities were big enough to weaken the electrified upper atmosphere – the ionosphere – above the UK, [over 600 miles] away." That impact was discovered through an analysis of the Radio Research Centre's daily records from 1943 through 1945, which revealed "the height and electron concentration of [ionization] within the upper atmosphere." The team focused on "ionosphere response records around the time of 152 large Allied air raids in Europe and found the electron concentration significantly decreased due to the shockwaves caused by the bombs detonating near the Earth's surface. This is thought to have heated the upper atmosphere, enhancing the loss of ionization."
"It is astonishing to see how the ripples caused by man-made explosions can affect the edge of space," Chris Scott, one of the researchers, commented. "Each raid released the energy of at least 300 lightning strikes. The sheer power involved has allowed us to quantify how events on the Earth's surface can also affect the ionosphere."
According to a recent study, the bombing raids by Allied forces in World War II were "felt at [the] edge of space." The European Geosciences Union reports that researchers with the University of Reading "have revealed the shockwaves produced by huge bombs dropped by Allied planes on European cities were big enough to weaken the electrified upper atmosphere – the ionosphere – above the UK, [over 600 miles] away." That impact was discovered through an analysis of the Radio Research Centre's daily records from 1943 through 1945, which revealed "the height and electron concentration of [ionization] within the upper atmosphere." The team focused on "ionosphere response records around the time of 152 large Allied air raids in Europe and found the electron concentration significantly decreased due to the shockwaves caused by the bombs detonating near the Earth's surface. This is thought to have heated the upper atmosphere, enhancing the loss of ionization."
"It is astonishing to see how the ripples caused by man-made explosions can affect the edge of space," Chris Scott, one of the researchers, commented. "Each raid released the energy of at least 300 lightning strikes. The sheer power involved has allowed us to quantify how events on the Earth's surface can also affect the ionosphere."