What causes earthquake booms?

Most earthquake booms are shallow stress releases—rock fracturing that emits both seismic and acoustic energy. Others may involve frost quakes, subsurface fluids, or distant events whose sound is carried by atmospheric ducting.

Do earthquake booms predict earthquakes?

Sometimes booms occur seconds to minutes before shaking, but many are isolated stress releases with no quake. They are not a reliable forecasting tool.

Why do instruments sometimes show nothing?

Microquakes can fall below detection thresholds, sensors may be distant, or sound may be transported efficiently by inversions while ground motion remains minimal.

How are Seneca Guns different from thunder or sonic booms?

Seneca Guns are typically reported on clear, quiet days with no storms and no obvious aircraft or rocket activity. They often recur seasonally along coasts and may involve offshore microseismicity combined with atmospheric ducting.

Are earthquake booms dangerous?

They’re startling but usually harmless. Strong shockwaves can crack plaster or knock items off shelves. If you smell gas or see smoke, treat it as an emergency and contact local authorities.

Earthquake booms and Seneca Guns are explosive noises sometimes heard before shallow seismic tremors shake the ground — Earthquake Booms & Seneca Guns — cannon-like shockwaves rolling in from sea and shore, sometimes heard seconds before shallow quakes.

Updated on: January 6, 2025 · 👉 Back to the Mystery Booms & Rumblings Hub · 👉 Related hubs: Earth Oddities · Sky Oddities · Space Oddity

Earthquake Booms & Seneca Guns — Seismic Booms, Coastal Cannons, and Clear-Sky Explosions

Earthquake booms (also called seismic booms) are loud, cannon-like bangs sometimes heard seconds before, during, or after small, shallow earthquakes. Along many coasts, the phenomenon is known as Seneca Guns — muffled “artillery” that rolls in on calm, blue-sky days with no storm or explosion in sight.

People describe them as a loud boom before an earthquake, a distant cannon, or a pressure-wave “thump” that rattles windows — and then… nothing obvious to blame.

Looking for real-world reports? Visit the Mystery Booms & Rumblings Hub to browse event lists by year.

Jump to: What Are Earthquake Booms? · How They Sound & Feel · Causes & Mechanics ·
What Are “Seneca Guns”? · Famous Reports · How to Investigate Locally · FAQs · Sources · Case Files · Get Involved

Key facts (TL;DR)

Earthquake booms are short, explosive sounds linked to shallow stress releases; often described as distant cannon fire.
Seneca Guns are coastal booms on clear days, sometimes with no recorded quake — likely a mix of offshore seismicity + sound ducting.
Heard before quakes? Sometimes seconds to minutes before shaking (not reliable for prediction).
What to do: note exact time & location, record audio/video, check seismic + weather inversions, and report it.

❓ What Are Earthquake Booms?

Earthquake booms are sudden bangs or gunshot-like cracks that can rattle windows and set off car alarms. They’re most commonly reported in areas with shallow, brittle crust — and also during cold snaps when the ground is tightly stressed.

🔊 How They Sound & Feel

One to three sharp bangs, followed by a low rolling rumble.
A pressure wave you can feel — walls buzz, windows chatter.
No obvious source (no lightning, plume, or demolition).
Occasionally coincident with small, shallow tremors.

🧠 Causes & Mechanics

Sudden rock fracturing (micro-rupture): shallow cracks release elastic energy as both seismic waves and audible sound. If near the surface, the “pop” can be heard like a cannon.
Frost quakes (cryoseisms): rapid freezing expands trapped water in soils/rock — ground “snaps” like a gunshot.
Subsurface fluids: bursts of gas/water along faults can create short, explosive sounds.
Sound ducting: temperature inversions can bend distant acoustic energy into your town (see Sky Oddities) orr make the sound waves travel longer distances.

Why some events aren’t recorded: very shallow microquakes may be below local detection thresholds; sensors may be distant; and sound can arrive even when ground motion is minimal — especially during strong inversions.

Quick rule-outs: saw a flash in the sky? Check the Meteor Booms and Skyquakes sub-hub. Near industry/quarries or training ranges? Check the Mystery Blasts and Industrial Explosions sub-hub.

🌊 What Are “Seneca Guns”?

Seneca Guns are repeated coastal booms reported in places like North Carolina’s Outer Banks and around Lake Seneca (NY). They’re heard on sunny, quiet days with no storms or explosions. Explanations include:

Offshore microseismicity (small quakes or slips under the shelf).
Underwater landslides / methane bursts creating pressure pulses.
Atmospheric ducting carrying distant blasts over the water.

Folklore calls them ghost cannons — artillery echoing from long-forgotten battles.

🌍 Famous Reports

💣 Seneca Guns (North Carolina, USA) — cannon-like booms along the Outer Banks.
🌊 Lake Seneca (New York, USA) — reports that locals once mistook for artillery salvos.
🌏 Global Seismic Booms — reports linked to quakes (sometimes with no quake detected).

🕵️ How to Investigate Locally

Time stamp: note exact time (hh:mm:ss).
Map it: town/street; ask neighbors which direction it came from.
Look for visuals: flashes, dust clouds, water ripples.
Check seismic: look for microquakes on local observatory pages.
Weather: see if an inversion was present (sound ducting).
Recordings: doorbell/dash cams often capture shockwaves.

Primer: Earthquake booms & Seneca Guns

Earthquake Booms — FAQs

What causes earthquake booms?: Most earthquake booms are shallow stress releases — rock fracturing that emits both seismic and acoustic energy. Others may involve frost quakes, subsurface fluids, or distant events whose sound is carried by atmospheric ducting.
Do earthquake booms predict earthquakes?: Sometimes booms occur seconds to minutes before shaking, but many are isolated stress releases with no quake. They are not a reliable forecasting tool.
Why do instruments sometimes show nothing?: Microquakes can fall below detection thresholds, sensors may be distant, or sound may be transported efficiently by inversions while ground motion remains minimal.
How are Seneca Guns different from thunder or sonic booms?: Seneca Guns are typically reported on clear, quiet days with no storms and no obvious aircraft or rocket activity. They often recur seasonally along coasts and may involve offshore microseismicity combined with atmospheric ducting.
Are earthquake booms dangerous?: They’re startling but usually harmless. Strong shockwaves can crack plaster or knock items off shelves. If you smell gas or see smoke, treat it as an emergency and contact local authorities.

Sources & Further Reading

Case Files

Want the full timeline of reports? Visit the Mystery Booms & Rumblings Hub to browse event lists by year.

Get Involved

📩 Report an earthquake boom (time, location, weather, recording).
📰 Subscribe to the Strange Sounds newsletter
❤️ Support on PayPal · DonorBox

Strange Sounds