WWII bombs had impact till the edge of space

London, Sept. 26: Bombing raids by Allied forces during the Second World War not only caused devastation on the ground but also sent shockwaves through the Earth’s atmosphere which were detected at the edge of space, according to a study.

Researchers at the University of Reading in the UK have revealed the shockwaves produced by huge bombs dropped by Allied planes on European cities were big enough to weaken the electrified upper atmosphere — the ionosphere — above the UK, 1,000 kilometres ( km) away.

Scientists are using the findings, published in the journal Annales Geophysicae, to understand how natural forces from below, like lightning, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, affect Earth’s upper atmosphere.

“The images of neighbourhoods across Europe reduced to rubble due to wartime air raids are a lasting reminder of the destruction that can be caused by man- made explosions,” said Chris Scott, a professor at the University of Reading.

“But the impact of these bombs way up in the Earth’s atmosphere has never been realised until now,” Scott said.

“It is astonishing to see how the ripples caused by man- made explosions can affect the edge of space. The sheer power involved has allowed us to quantify how events on the Earth’s surface can affect the ionosphere,” he said.