The Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a statement confirming it was an IAF fighter jet going supersonic that caused the boom over Bengaluru on Wednesday, May 20.
No aircraft of Training Command was flying in the area. However, ASTE and HAL could have been undertaking their routine test flying, which necessitates going supersonic at times. These are done well beyond the city limits in specified sectors," read the statement issued by HQRS Training Command, IAF, Bengaluru.
"However, considering the atmospheric conditions and reduced noise levels in the city during these times, the aircraft sound may become clearly audible even if it happened way out from the city," further read the Air Force's statement.
Here's a screenshot of the IAF's statement:
It was a routine IAF test flight: Defence PRO
The Defence spokesperson (PRO) Bengaluru took to Twitter: "It was a routine IAF Test Flight involving a supersonic profile which took off from Bluru Airport and flew in the allotted airspace well outside City limits. The aircraft was of Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment (ASTE)"
"The sonic boom was probably heard while the aircraft was decelerating from supersonic to subsonic speed between 36,000 and 40000 feet altitude," read the tweet.
In a series of tweets, the defence PRO said, "The aircraft was far away from the city limits when this occurred. The sound of a sonic boom can be heard and felt by an observer even when the aircraft is flying as far away as 65 to 80 kilometres away from the person."
Mysterious 'boom' sound left everyone baffled
A mysterious boom sound was heard from different parts of the Bengaluru city this afternoon, including Kalyan Nagar in east Bengaluru, CV Raman Nagar, Marathahalli, Whitefield, Sarjapur, Hebbagodi, and MG Road. The massive blast like sound has left everybody perplexed.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, IPS confirmed that no damage has been reported anywhere. Rao also said that there have been no calls made to the emergency 100 number.
What is a sonic boom?
A sonic boom is a massive blast like sound. It happens due to shock waves created by any object that travels through the air faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms create massive amounts of sound energy.
Any object that moves through air, creates pressure waves in front of and behind it. For example, a boat move through water? The bow waves (front) and stern waves (back) are alike to the hidden pressure waves created by an object as it moves through the air.
These pressure waves travel at the speed of sound. How quick is that? Really fast! Sound travels at contrasting speeds through different types of substances. It may also vary by altitude and temperature.
