'Frost Quakes' May Be the Source of Puzzling Booms in Kansas City

Carolyn Williams
Published: February 4,2015



 
A rare winter phenomenon may be to blame for a series of booms that has rocked Kansas City, Missouri, since December.
'Frost Quakes' are the No.1 theory as to what is causing the mysterious explosions, AOL.com reports. Frost quakes, otherwise known as cryoseism, occur during the coldest extremes when temperatures rapidly fall, causing water underground to freeze. The ice expands and cracks the ground, releasing a terrifying boom.
Jimmy Brewer of Independence, Missouri, was jogging Sunday afternoon when a boom resounded. Brewer worked at a fireworks stand over the summer and described the sound as something a class B firework would produce, which is much bigger than we he sells, KSHB-TV said.
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There were additional theories as to what is causing the explosions, including air force training operations and locomotive horns.
KSHB conducted an investigation and contacted Whiteman Air Force Base, inquiring if there were any training operations that occurred over the course of the weekend. The air base said no aircraft were flying.
Brewer was recently hired by Union Pacific and told KSHB he's heard trains and doesn't believe the booms can be attributed to the locomotives.
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This wouldn't be the first time frost quakes ignited questioning residents. On Jan. 3, 2014, loud booms and shaking awoke Toronto residents and others across the eastern half of Canada. Frost quakes have also been recorded in northern New England and Alaska, according to Dr. Jon Ebel, senior research scientist at Weston Observatory at Boston College.
Frost quakes are different than earthquakes, tending not to produce dangerous seismic activity, AOL says, and are most common between midnight and dawn.