Triggered Thunder Imaging System

Triggered Thunder Imaging System is article #11 in the WeatherProphet Weather Modification Series.

Weather Modification Technology Platform

In previous post in this series we've looked at the covert use of SuperStrobes in illuminating large land areas during covert aerial photographic surveys. I have claimed that stealth aircraft equiped with SuperStrobes have been used within thunderstorms to great military, and intelligence advantage. Flashes of super bright SuperStrobes within thunderstorms have come to be interpreted as intercloud lightning by the general public. Such incredibly brilliant flashes turn night into day for one second at a time, and allow for full spectrum light enhanced digital photo surveillance in periods of heavy cloud cover.

The public's misinterpretation of this covert technological phenomena as a random natural event has enabled the exploitation of thunderstorms by those with the means, and motive for doing so. Thunderstorms have become a real world covert laboratory, and workshop for the military, and intelligence community.

In Triggered Thunder Imaging Systems we will now shift our attention to several sound related technologies which could be covertly developed, and employed only within the cover of thunderstorms.


Stealthy Designs Reduce Sound Signatures - But Not Enough

If a military aircraft were deployed on a clear sky day over a typical metropolitan area that aircraft would most likely be seen by someone on the ground within seconds.

Under the cover of night that same aircraft might manage to deploy over a metropolitan area for several minutes before the constant drone of its high performance jet engines raised suspicions.

First, and foremost, evading radar detection would be critical to maintaining the covert nature of any secret aerial surveillance mission. Therefore a stealth aircraft would be the aircraft of choice.

Yet, while in flight, even stealth aircraft engines produce a great deal of sound which can easily be detected on the ground.

Soundly Baffled

Despite its ability to absorb, and reflect radar waves at odd angles the stealth aircraft's design also incorporates design features which reduce its profile in other ways.

One such aspect of this design consideration involves the use of exhaust baffling.

Hot exhaust from jet engines is easily detected by infrared sensors, and can be used to accurately pinpoint the location of aircraft by ground observation, and heat seeking missiles.

To impart greater stealthiness to the stealth aircraft hot exhaust from its jet engine is mixed with cooler air before it is vented. Baffling is used to direct the exhaust at angles less likely to be detected by infrared sensors.

The cooling, and baffling of exhaust leaving the aircraft also reduces the amplitude of sound waves which ripple down the "sound cone" trailing behind the aircraft.

Still, despite these design implimentations, the sound of a stealth aircraft's engines can easily be detected while the aircraft is in flight.

In my previous WeatherProphet post titled, Thunder or Jet Engines?, I argue that thunder, and jet engine sounds are so similar as to be difficult to destinguish. I argue that unless observers were specifically listening for jet engine sounds within a thunderstorm, they might not even be aware of their existence.

An entire generation may have great difficulty telling the difference between the rumble of thunder, and the rumble of jet aircraft engines if they grew up in a time in which thousands of covert aerial missions were deployed over their heads during periods of inclement weather.

The failure of the public to accurately identify the source of lights, and sounds within a thunderstorm opens the door to the covert use of thunderstorms by both the military, and intelligence community.

Atmospheric Sonar

Outside of thunderstorms there are few settings in which to covertly develop, in a real world setting, a wide range of high energy weapons. Several of these weapons while considered exotic, or futuristic by the general public, are most likely significantly advanced beyond their design phase.

I argue that thunderstorms provide the perfect cover for the development of sound weapons, and sound based imaging systems (atmospheric sonar).

In the age of radar, laser, and infrared imaging systems could the development of an echo location system (sonar), akin to the type which bats employ, ever be considered a worthwhile expenditure of research, and development funds?

In this age of stealth aircraft, stealth UPVs, stealth RPVs, and stealth misiles the idea of adding a dependable sonar based detection system, capable of echo locating such stealth aircraft, would seem appealing.

Sound waves from triggered thunder could be employed in the task of imaging ground targets. Employing "triggered thunder" in a sonar system would allow imaging without the need for radar, or laser. Radar, and Laser based imaging systems can be detected by military surveillance systems, and make the source of such emmisions vulnerable to shoot downs.

A triggered thunder based sonar system, if used within the cover of thunderstorms, would allow the collection of high resolution sonargrams without setting off alarms as to the presence of low flying spycraft flying within forbidden airspace.

From a research standpoint information gained from such a program would provide immediate military, and intelligence advantages, and represent an intregal step in the development of the next generation of weapons.

Sound Weapons

Sound weapons are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Not only have sound weapons been developed, but they have been used - albeit, on a small scale.

Yet, imagine the lure of developing a very high volume sound delivery system capable of inducing nausea, and distress upon hundreds, and even thousands of ground troops within a matter of seconds.

While aerial based sound weapons may not yet be fully developed, the development of such a weapon would seem very enticing.

Thunder is potent enough in volume, and duration, to shake woodframe homes, and perhaps entire neighborhoods, into harmonic vibrations of great intensity. Could a simple shift of wave amplitude, or sound frequency be all that is needed to turn "thunder" into a weapon capable of shaking a building off of its foundation, or sickening all those within earshot?

A Synergistic Justification

In earlier post I asked if thunder can make it rain? This question remains important, for if sound generating technology is already being covertly employed as an important tool in a covert weather modification program it would be all the more likely that this same technology would be adapted into both sound based imaging systems, and into sound weapons.

In the next post in the WeatherProphet Weather Modification Series we will exam the subject of triggered thunder based technology, and its possible uses in greater detail.