NEW YORK (WABC) — Could a meteorite be the cause of the loud explosion heard in parts of New York City and northern New Jersey?
New York City officials launched an investigation after reports of loud noises heard in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens on Tuesday morning. Similar reports were also heard in New Jersey.
NYCEM received an update from NASA, which estimates the meteorite entered the atmosphere and broke up over the New York City metropolitan area early Tuesday morning.
Preliminary analysis indicates that the meteorite passed over the Statue of Liberty and then broke up over midtown Manhattan. No meteorites were produced by this event.
The Office of Emergency Management said it has not received any reports of damage or injuries related to the incident.
American Meteor Society for amateur meteor watchers Up to 20 sightings have been reported. From 11:16 to 11:20 a.m.
Lee Goldberg gives us the latest on the explosion.
“Based on this data, we estimate that the fireball was first sighted 49 miles above the Upper Bay (east of Greenville Yards). Traveling northeast at 34,000 miles per hour, the meteor descended at a steep angle of 18 degrees from vertical, passed over the Statue of Liberty, and then disintegrated 29 miles above midtown Manhattan,” said Bill Cook, director of NASA’s Meteor Environment Office.
Chief meteorologist Lee Goldberg said heat and high temperatures could have helped the sound travel.
A small inversion on Tuesday morning caused temperatures to rise with altitude, which may have helped the sound travel: Sound waves actually travel faster in warm air than in cold air, which can make the sound louder.
The higher the temperature, the more energy the air molecules have and the faster they vibrate, so the faster the sound waves travel.
The USGS issued a statement saying there was no evidence of an earthquake, even though many in the area felt the tremors.
“The USGS National Earthquake Information Center received reports of shaking in the area of northeastern New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. After reviewing seismic data for the region, no evidence of an earthquake was found. The USGS does not have direct evidence of the cause of the shaking. Previously reported shaking without an associated seismic signal has been due to atmospheric causes, such as sonic booms and weather-related phenomena.”
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