Speaker
Description
On October 28, 2014 the launch of an Antares rocket from the Wallops Island Air Force Base in northern Virginia on the US eastern seaboard failed. To prevent the uncontrolled damage that could result from an uncontrolled launch the rocket was detonated. The detonation occurred at about 18:22:45 local time, producing a large explosion. Propagation conditions at the time were ideal: there was a temperature inversion and a well developed jet stream flowing up along the eastern seaboard providing a good ground duct for the near field propagation. In addition there was a well developed, eastward flowing stratospheric jet allowing the signal generated in the near field to propagate efficiently far up the east coast. Fortuitously, many of the USArray stations had been left in place providing a network of infrasound stations covering the full 180 degrees of azimuth available on the mainland. Details of the signal as it was generated in the near field and launched to the far field will be discussed.
