<p>According to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NasaMeteorWatch/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page</a>, they:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>obtained infrasound measurements from 3 nearby stations - the
amplitudes and durations of the signals put the energy of the fireball
fragmentation at 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of TNT.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here is an image of the infrasound:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Fh0ul.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Fh0ul.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>From <a href="https://www.foxbangor.com/news/item/14714-huge-fireball-lights-up-night-sky-meteor-could-be-seen-throughout-northeast/?tv-channel=wvii" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this news story</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A man in Canton, Maine said there was a delay of several minutes from
the time he saw the fireball until heard a loud boom. He said it shook
his home unlike anything he experienced before.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It all makes me wonder <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/40602/how-loud-was-the-asteroid-that-killed-the-dinosaurs">How loud was the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs?</a></p>
<p>Further reading on infrasound detectors monitoring space:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/26359/12102">What is used to monitor objects burning up in the atmosphere on descent?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/a/49999/12102">this answer</a> to <em>What local pressure changes would a starship launch on Mars cause?</em></li>
</ul>
<p>and others:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/2487/6031">What efforts have been made to separate the microseismic events related to wind-related ocean waves from the components of volcanic origin?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/923/6031">Project Mogul: Does upper atmosphere indeed have a sound waveguide channel?</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T23:23:22.800Z
Thanks for tracking this down! I hope you don't mind I added some additional links, the one about Mars includes an image of an infrasound detector; they're funny looking things.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T23:32:16.817Z
Thanks for the links.  It looks like I have some reading to do now!
Connor Garcia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T15:33:56.223Z
2021-03-12T23:21:56.953Z
2021-03-12T23:21:56.953Z
Connor Garcia
<p>I've seen several reports of this meteor explosion, below are two.</p>
<p>Was there infrasound recordings of the pressure wave, or were weak, local seismic signals recorded, or it this just a ballpark estimate based on circumstantial evidence?</p>
<ul>
<li>Bangor Daily News: <a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2021/03/10/news/new-england/meteor-exploded-over-vermont-with-force-of-440-pounds-of-tnt/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Meteor exploded over Vermont with force of <strong>440 pounds</strong> of TNT</a></li>
<li>Sputnik News: <a href="https://sputniknews.com/us/202103111082318281-yield-of-fireball-explosion-above-vermont-rated-at-200-kilos-of-tnt-video/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Yield of Fireball Explosion Above Vermont Rated at <strong>200 Kilo(grams)</strong> of TNT - Video</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T14:38:46.103Z
related (and unanswered) in Earth Science SE: [Was the “'Bama Boom” even recorded by infrasound or by seismic detectors?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/12749/6031)
uhoh
<meteor><atmospheric-effects><planetary-science>
How do they know the TNT equivalent of the meteor explosion over Vermont?
uhoh
# How do they know the TNT equivalent of the meteor explosion over Vermont?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-12)

I've seen several reports of this meteor explosion, below are two.

Was there infrasound recordings of the pressure wave, or were weak, local seismic signals recorded, or it this just a ballpark estimate based on circumstantial evidence?

* Bangor Daily News: [Meteor exploded over Vermont with force of **440 pounds** of TNT](https://bangordailynews.com/2021/03/10/news/new-england/meteor-exploded-over-vermont-with-force-of-440-pounds-of-tnt/)
* Sputnik News: [Yield of Fireball Explosion Above Vermont Rated at **200 Kilo(grams)** of TNT - Video](https://sputniknews.com/us/202103111082318281-yield-of-fireball-explosion-above-vermont-rated-at-200-kilos-of-tnt-video/)

**Tags:** meteor, atmospheric-effects, planetary-science

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: related (and unanswered) in Earth Science SE: [Was the “'Bama Boom” even recorded by infrasound or by seismic detectors?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/12749/6031)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-03-12. Score: 3

According to [NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/NasaMeteorWatch/), they:

> obtained infrasound measurements from 3 nearby stations - the
> amplitudes and durations of the signals put the energy of the fireball
> fragmentation at 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of TNT.

Here is an image of the infrasound:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Fh0ul.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Fh0ul.png)

From [this news story](https://www.foxbangor.com/news/item/14714-huge-fireball-lights-up-night-sky-meteor-could-be-seen-throughout-northeast/?tv-channel=wvii),

> A man in Canton, Maine said there was a delay of several minutes from
> the time he saw the fireball until heard a loud boom. He said it shook
> his home unlike anything he experienced before.

It all makes me wonder [How loud was the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/40602/how-loud-was-the-asteroid-that-killed-the-dinosaurs)

Further reading on infrasound detectors monitoring space:

* [What is used to monitor objects burning up in the atmosphere on descent?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/26359/12102)
* [this answer](https://space.stackexchange.com/a/49999/12102) to *What local pressure changes would a starship launch on Mars cause?*

and others:

* [What efforts have been made to separate the microseismic events related to wind-related ocean waves from the components of volcanic origin?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/2487/6031)
* [Project Mogul: Does upper atmosphere indeed have a sound waveguide channel?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/923/6031)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for tracking this down! I hope you don't mind I added some additional links, the one about Mars includes an image of an infrasound detector; they're funny looking things.  
> **username_1**: Thanks for the links.  It looks like I have some reading to do now!  

---

