Mount Tavurvur

[duncan1297]

Many of you have most likely seen this already

Is that a sonic boom created by the eruption!?

[PakledHostage]

I hadn't seen it but thanks for sharing!

The boom is a shock wave, sure, but it is almost certainly moving at supersonic speed. This shock would start out propogating significantly faster than the speed of sound and would slow down as it expands away from the source.

[Tommygun]

That's impressive, I can't imagine I would have been as calm watching that.

I most likely would have run below deck in fear of falling debris.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Tommygun

[Scotius]

There was either a lot of moisture or ash suspended in the air. I guess that's why shockwave was so visible. Impressive sight, that's for sure.

[Seret]

Yep, that's a shock wave. You also see them a lot in video of bombs going off. As long as you're not too close they're harmless and quite fun.

Regarding debris from explosions that comes in two phases: immediate low angle high velocity, then later high angle low velocity. They were far enough away that the first isn't much of an issue, and the second is pretty unlikely.

[lajoswinkler]

Yes, absolutely. That's a shock wave, a Prandtl-Glauert singularity. If you're in the area where it exists, you will not survive, therefore anyone on the shore of that island would get killed by total rupture of soft tissues.

The island is some 4 km away from the ship, so the energy dissipates and only a sonic boom is left.

Thanks for sharing this great video.