Routine gravel pit blasting spills lattes and yops all over city

[Muffins]

I think its the french testing our reaction to such an explosion so they can plan their invasion accordingly.

[Jayems]

...

Calgary Police ‏@CalgaryPolice 35s
Information we have is that the blast in the N.W. was routine blasting near the Lafarge location. #yyc

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Jason Markusoff ‏@markusoff 21s Whew. rest easy, #yyc-ers. @cbcRosa: Re: huge explosion in NW. Just confirmed: Looks like Lafarge plant doing routine gravel blast. All okay
Followed by Crackmacs and 2 others

Routine??? How many other people can say they have felt the blast from these routine blasting operations?

Ya right. We know after that tweet about falling from the sky what this really was.

[Trojan97]

I live in the condos across from the Royal Oak shopping centre and the entire building shook. Crazy.

[surferguy]

Lafarge Canada ‏@Lafarge_Canada 2m ...dry conditions and cold air resulted in an unusual cloud of dust. This was a routine, permitted effort. #yyc #Calgary


Can anybody comment on the science behind this explanation?

[Senator Clay Davis]

Most likely explanation is the latte sippers are starting their attack on Yop gobbling territories.

[Bigtime]

I just hope Lafarge didn't dig too deep and awake darkness from the past.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Most likely explanation is the latte sippers are starting their attack on Yop gobbling territories.

Man our initial aim sucks, have to reconfigure our target packages.

[Nyah]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Ya right. We know after that tweet about falling from the sky what this really was.

[Bigtime]

Best thread re-name ever.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Lafarge Canada ‏@Lafarge_Canada 2m ...dry conditions and cold air resulted in an unusual cloud of dust. This was a routine, permitted effort. #yyc #Calgary


Can anybody comment on the science behind this explanation?

That only explains the muchroom cloud. It doesn't explain the why the shockwave was so powerful which is a function of the size/speed of the explosive. So the blast must have used more explosive than a typical blast.

Or blasts of this size while routine are infrequent enough we don't remember them.

[habernac]

using Pershing missiles for blasting now?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by GGG

That only explains the muchroom cloud. It doesn't explain the why the shockwave was so powerful which is a function of the size/speed of the explosive. So the blast must have used more explosive than a typical blast.

Or blasts of this size while routine are infrequent enough we don't remember them.

Cold air is denser, which would transfer shock waves better. To that extent? That I don't know.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Man our initial aim sucks, have to reconfigure our target packages.

Target was correct, timing was off.

[NuclearPizzaMan]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Lafarge Canada ‏@Lafarge_Canada 2m ...dry conditions and cold air resulted in an unusual cloud of dust. This was a routine, permitted effort. #yyc #Calgary


Can anybody comment on the science behind this explanation?

Don't show this to North Korea.

[Shaggin Wagon]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Lafarge Canada ‏@Lafarge_Canada 2m ...dry conditions and cold air resulted in an unusual cloud of dust. This was a routine, permitted effort. #yyc #Calgary


Can anybody comment on the science behind this explanation?

I can confirm sound travels farther/faster in lower temperatures. When it is warmer, air particles are moving faster and disrupt sound waves. I would assume humidity would also have a dampening effect. Snow definitely has a sound dampening effect.

I think I learned this in Physics 12. After that, i did notice that on cold/dry days I could here the sound of the full serve gas station near my house and only on those days.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Cold air is denser, which would transfer shock waves better. To that extent? That I don't know.

Probably not. This can't be the first time Lafarge has blasted something at -10 in November. Something about this wasn't routine, because that explosion was far larger than anyone is used to, as evidenced by the reaction. The most probable explanation is that they tried to detonate a larger than usual slab of stone and used a larger than usual charge.

[chemgear]

Isn't this the community that is freaking out at a potential oil well? While being surrounded by jails, detention centers, and insane asylums?

[Bean]

I have nothing to add but wanted to give a thumbs up for the awesome thread title.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Cold air is denser, which would transfer shock waves better. To that extent? That I don't know.

Marginally.

The density of air only affects the pressure wave linearly and the variance in air pressure is minimal so that might make a 10% difference.