Meteoroid or asteroid in Tunguska

[Javier]

The Tunguska event was an aerial explosion of a meteoroid or asteroid that wiped out more than 2,000 km² of forest in Siberia in 1908 without leaving a crater.

Event Description
On June 30, 1908, a gigantic fireball crossed the skies of the central Siberian plateau, near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, causing an explosion equivalent to between 3 and 30 megatons of TNT, enough to destroy a large modern city. The shockwave knocked down approximately 80 million trees in an area of 2,100–2,150 km² and was felt more than 65 km from the epicenter. During the following nights, the sky remained illuminated in Asia and parts of Europe, generating reports of unusual glows.

Nature of the meteorite
The most accepted hypothesis indicates that it was an iron meteoroid or asteroid that entered the atmosphere at high speed, between 53,000 and 72,000 km/h, reaching temperatures of up to 24,000 °C. The object exploded at an altitude of 5 to 10 km above the surface, releasing a devastating shock wave without directly impacting the Earth. Recent studies suggest that the asteroid may have grazed the Earth and continued its orbit, which would explain the absence of a crater.

Research and expeditions
The first scientific expedition to the site was led by Leonid Kulik in 1921 and 1927, who documented the devastation and collected testimonies from the local inhabitants. Despite his efforts, no significant fragments of the meteorite or a crater were found, which led to alternative theories, including the possibility of a comet composed mainly of ice that disintegrated in the atmosphere.

Magnitude and consequences
It is estimated that the energy released was comparable to 300 atomic bombs like the one in Nagasaki, and the shockwave was recorded by barometers throughout Europe. The explosion caused damage to structures and broke windows hundreds of kilometers away, although the number of human casualties was very low due to the sparse population of the region.

Modern hypotheses
Recent research suggests that the object measured between 37 and 200 meters wide, depending on its composition and trajectory, and that the explosion was due to partial disintegration in the atmosphere. Modern simulations compare the event to the fall of the Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013, highlighting the importance of the entry angle and the composition of the celestial body in determining the magnitude of the shock wave.
The Tunguska event remains a fascinating scientific mystery, studied for more than a century, and serves as a warning about the destructive potential of near-Earth objects.

[Javier]

Based on the events of the Tunguska asteroid, this could be a very accurate hypothesis, but this meteorite was not big or violent enough to knock down young and healthy trees, but it did cause serious injuries to people who were close to its range of action (shockwave).

1st Lights in the sky

2nd Very serious fractures caused by an unknown greater force

3rd The shockwave also caused an avalanche

4th This made the hikers scared, they stabbed the tent from the inside and went out barefoot and almost naked looking for shelter in the nearby forest.

5th The shockwave caused very violent winds throughout the area of action

6th Like the Tunguska event, this detonation did not leave an impact crater, and it was not devastating enough to knock down trees.

  At the moment, it is my most accurate and plausible theory.

[Javier]

On February 15, 2013, a meteorite known as the Chelyabinsk bolide exploded in the atmosphere over Russia, causing a large explosion and injuring more than a thousand people.
Event Details

Date and Time: The event occurred on the morning of February 15, 2013, at around 09:20 local time in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Characteristics of the Meteorite: It is estimated that the meteorite had a diameter of approximately 17 meters and a weight of between 7,000 and 10,000 tons. Upon entering the atmosphere, it released an energy equivalent to 500 kilotons of TNT, which is about 30 times more than the Hiroshima bomb.

Consequences
Damages: The explosion generated a shock wave that broke windows and caused damage to buildings in several nearby cities. More than a thousand people were reported injured, mainly from glass fragments and other debris.

Recovery of Fragments: Fragments of the meteorite were recovered in Lake Chebarkul, where a hole formed in the ice due to the impact. These fragments have been studied by scientists.

Importance of the Event
The Chelyabinsk meteoroid is considered one of the most significant meteor events in more than a century, highlighting the Earth's vulnerability to space objects. This event underscored the importance of monitoring and tracking near-Earth objects to anticipate future similar incidents.
This event was not only a reminder of the potential danger posed by meteorites, but it also generated great interest in the scientific community and the general public, with numerous videos and eyewitness testimonies capturing the moment of the explosion.

  We could think that between the Tunguska meteorite and the Chelyabinsk one... did the 'Dyaltlov' meteorite strike in the sky?

The difference with that of the Tunguska asteroid event is that this one did not arrive alone, but accompanied by several more asteroids, although smaller in size, and therefore with less power and caused less damage than the Tunguska one (hence the multiple lights in the sky)

[Javier]

I will try to explain my theory of the impact in the sky of the meteoroid or meteoroids:

The group of hikers was resting after having had dinner, while a snow and cold storm battered the area. The group was sleeping in their underwear when they were able to see with relative clarity from the inside almost as if it suddenly became day for a brief period of time. Then a strong detonation occurred (if there were several meteoroids, there would have been several continuous detonations) which caused them serious internal injuries, as indicated by the autopsies, and because of the powerful detonation and almost immediately after, there was an avalanche that fell on the tent where the hikers were sleeping, causing new injuries.

Very nervous and scared and not knowing what was happening, they left the store stabbing the store from the inside. Amid screams and uncertainty, they perhaps thought that the army was conducting exercises with nuclear devices in that area, and as a last resort to try to save their lives, they sought refuge in the forest where they made the fire.

Well, after analyzing many of your versions... for now I stick with this theory.

[GlennM]

Javier. Welcome to the club. You now have a theory, and that is a foundation for future discussions. You are advicating for a meteorological event which produced both light and sound. It may have left evidence on the branches of the pine trees in the forest.

If you pursue this point of view, try to find material in the case files which supports it.

[sarapuk]

This meteorite theory crops up occasionally. But we find it difficult to explain how a meteorite of any size could be responsible for the incident. It's not as if the incident was confined to one location, such as the tent site. The incident is spread out over a mile or so. The tent site, the mountain slope site, and the forest site. The ravine site, where the extraordinary injuries were found on bodies.

[Javier]

We cannot forget that something strange happened to the group of hikers, which forced them to leave the tent immediately and violently...

What damage can an asteroid impact smaller than Tunguska cause to a human being?

An asteroid smaller than the Tunguska event (which was approximately 40-60 meters and released between 10 and 15 megatons) still poses a serious threat, capable of causing significant damage at a local or regional level, especially if it impacts a populated area. 
The main damage depends on the exact size, composition, and whether it explodes in the air (airburst) or hits the ground. 
Here are the potential damages: 
Urban and Local Destruction (Objects 20 to 50 meters): 
Shockwave (Airburst): An asteroid about 20 meters in size (like the Chelyabinsk one in 2013) explodes in the atmosphere, breaking windows, damaging structures, and causing injuries from flying glass and debris.
Structural Damage: If the object is close to 40-50 meters, the blast wave can knock down residential structures, trees, and break windows in metropolitan areas, similar to a low-yield nuclear explosion.
Fires: The intense thermal radiation from the fireball can cause forest or urban fires.
Physical Harm to Humans:
Indirect injuries: Most injuries come from broken glass, roof collapses, and falls, not from direct radiation.
Burns and temporary blindness: The intense electromagnetic radiation (flash of light) can cause skin burns and temporary blindness to nearby observers.
Effects on the environment:
Supersonic wind gusts: They can throw people or vehicles and knock down structures.
Impact crater: If the object is dense rock or metal and reaches the ground, it can leave a crater, although at this size, an airburst is more likely.
Summary of scenarios:
< 20 meters: High disintegration, minor damages (intense shooting stars, small glass breakages).
20-50 meters (Chelyabinsk/smaller Tunguska type): Serious damage in a city (windows, fires, serious injuries).
~50 meters: Can destroy an entire city and cause thousands of deaths if it occurs over a densely populated area.
Unlike the Tunguska event (1908), which occurred in a remote area, a similar impact today in a city would cause massive casualties.

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Shock wave (Airburst)

In the context of explosions, an airburst shock wave is an intense pressure wave generated by a detonation that occurs at a certain altitude, rather than happening on the ground.
This phenomenon is characterized by maximizing the damage on the surface due to the interaction of two waves: Incident wave: The shock wave that travels directly from the center of the explosion downward. Reflected wave: The wave that bounces when hitting the ground.

The Mach effect (Mach Stem)
When these two waves meet, they combine to form a third vertical wave called a Mach front or Mach stem. This resulting wave is much more powerful and destructive than the original wave, as it travels almost horizontally sweeping the ground with significantly greater pressure.

Applications and examples
Military weapons: They are used to destroy targets in extensive areas (such as buildings or vehicles) without creating a deep crater, optimizing the radius of destruction.
Astronomical events: Some meteorites, like the Chelyabinsk bolide (2013) or the Tunguska event (1908), exploded in the atmosphere generating shock waves that caused massive damage on the ground without leaving a direct impact crater.
Medicine (Shock waves): Although they share the physical name, in medicine they are used for regenerative and pain therapies, but they are generated in a controlled way through focal or radial devices and not through aerial explosions.

[sarapuk]

We cannot forget that something strange happened to the group of hikers, which forced them to leave the tent immediately and violently...

What damage can an asteroid impact smaller than Tunguska cause to a human being?

An asteroid smaller than the Tunguska event (which was approximately 40-60 meters and released between 10 and 15 megatons) still poses a serious threat, capable of causing significant damage at a local or regional level, especially if it impacts a populated area. 
The main damage depends on the exact size, composition, and whether it explodes in the air (airburst) or hits the ground. 
Here are the potential damages: 
Urban and Local Destruction (Objects 20 to 50 meters): 
Shockwave (Airburst): An asteroid about 20 meters in size (like the Chelyabinsk one in 2013) explodes in the atmosphere, breaking windows, damaging structures, and causing injuries from flying glass and debris.
Structural Damage: If the object is close to 40-50 meters, the blast wave can knock down residential structures, trees, and break windows in metropolitan areas, similar to a low-yield nuclear explosion.
Fires: The intense thermal radiation from the fireball can cause forest or urban fires.
Physical Harm to Humans:
Indirect injuries: Most injuries come from broken glass, roof collapses, and falls, not from direct radiation.
Burns and temporary blindness: The intense electromagnetic radiation (flash of light) can cause skin burns and temporary blindness to nearby observers.
Effects on the environment:
Supersonic wind gusts: They can throw people or vehicles and knock down structures.
Impact crater: If the object is dense rock or metal and reaches the ground, it can leave a crater, although at this size, an airburst is more likely.
Summary of scenarios:
< 20 meters: High disintegration, minor damages (intense shooting stars, small glass breakages).
20-50 meters (Chelyabinsk/smaller Tunguska type): Serious damage in a city (windows, fires, serious injuries).
~50 meters: Can destroy an entire city and cause thousands of deaths if it occurs over a densely populated area.
Unlike the Tunguska event (1908), which occurred in a remote area, a similar impact today in a city would cause massive casualties.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shock wave (Airburst)

In the context of explosions, an airburst shock wave is an intense pressure wave generated by a detonation that occurs at a certain altitude, rather than happening on the ground.
This phenomenon is characterized by maximizing the damage on the surface due to the interaction of two waves: Incident wave: The shock wave that travels directly from the center of the explosion downward. Reflected wave: The wave that bounces when hitting the ground.

The Mach effect (Mach Stem)
When these two waves meet, they combine to form a third vertical wave called a Mach front or Mach stem. This resulting wave is much more powerful and destructive than the original wave, as it travels almost horizontally sweeping the ground with significantly greater pressure.

Applications and examples
Military weapons: They are used to destroy targets in extensive areas (such as buildings or vehicles) without creating a deep crater, optimizing the radius of destruction.
Astronomical events: Some meteorites, like the Chelyabinsk bolide (2013) or the Tunguska event (1908), exploded in the atmosphere generating shock waves that caused massive damage on the ground without leaving a direct impact crater.
Medicine (Shock waves): Although they share the physical name, in medicine they are used for regenerative and pain therapies, but they are generated in a controlled way through focal or radial devices and not through aerial explosions.

Yes its a decent description you give of the effects of a meteorite or similar object. But there is nothing at the tent site to suggest such an object was responsible, and we would expect some physical evidence left behind.

[Javier]

We cannot forget that something strange happened to the group of hikers, which forced them to leave the tent immediately and violently...

What damage can an asteroid impact smaller than Tunguska cause to a human being?

An asteroid smaller than the Tunguska event (which was approximately 40-60 meters and released between 10 and 15 megatons) still poses a serious threat, capable of causing significant damage at a local or regional level, especially if it impacts a populated area. 
The main damage depends on the exact size, composition, and whether it explodes in the air (airburst) or hits the ground. 
Here are the potential damages: 
Urban and Local Destruction (Objects 20 to 50 meters): 
Shockwave (Airburst): An asteroid about 20 meters in size (like the Chelyabinsk one in 2013) explodes in the atmosphere, breaking windows, damaging structures, and causing injuries from flying glass and debris.
Structural Damage: If the object is close to 40-50 meters, the blast wave can knock down residential structures, trees, and break windows in metropolitan areas, similar to a low-yield nuclear explosion.
Fires: The intense thermal radiation from the fireball can cause forest or urban fires.
Physical Harm to Humans:
Indirect injuries: Most injuries come from broken glass, roof collapses, and falls, not from direct radiation.
Burns and temporary blindness: The intense electromagnetic radiation (flash of light) can cause skin burns and temporary blindness to nearby observers.
Effects on the environment:
Supersonic wind gusts: They can throw people or vehicles and knock down structures.
Impact crater: If the object is dense rock or metal and reaches the ground, it can leave a crater, although at this size, an airburst is more likely.
Summary of scenarios:
< 20 meters: High disintegration, minor damages (intense shooting stars, small glass breakages).
20-50 meters (Chelyabinsk/smaller Tunguska type): Serious damage in a city (windows, fires, serious injuries).
~50 meters: Can destroy an entire city and cause thousands of deaths if it occurs over a densely populated area.
Unlike the Tunguska event (1908), which occurred in a remote area, a similar impact today in a city would cause massive casualties.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shock wave (Airburst)

In the context of explosions, an airburst shock wave is an intense pressure wave generated by a detonation that occurs at a certain altitude, rather than happening on the ground.
This phenomenon is characterized by maximizing the damage on the surface due to the interaction of two waves: Incident wave: The shock wave that travels directly from the center of the explosion downward. Reflected wave: The wave that bounces when hitting the ground.

The Mach effect (Mach Stem)
When these two waves meet, they combine to form a third vertical wave called a Mach front or Mach stem. This resulting wave is much more powerful and destructive than the original wave, as it travels almost horizontally sweeping the ground with significantly greater pressure.

Applications and examples
Military weapons: They are used to destroy targets in extensive areas (such as buildings or vehicles) without creating a deep crater, optimizing the radius of destruction.
Astronomical events: Some meteorites, like the Chelyabinsk bolide (2013) or the Tunguska event (1908), exploded in the atmosphere generating shock waves that caused massive damage on the ground without leaving a direct impact crater.
Medicine (Shock waves): Although they share the physical name, in medicine they are used for regenerative and pain therapies, but they are generated in a controlled way through focal or radial devices and not through aerial explosions.

Yes its a decent description you give of the effects of a meteorite or similar object. But there is nothing at the tent site to suggest such an object was responsible, and we would expect some physical evidence left behind.

There is also no evidence that disproves this theory. 
I want to highlight again some data that may support this hypothesis: 

1º Snowstorm night, with strong wind and temperatures of -30º 

2º The Mansi tribe warned of lights in the sky (caused by some meteoroids) 

3º  There are no footprints of other people or animals that could have caused these deaths to the group of hikers. (We rule out the army, the Mansi tribe, animals, Yeti) 

4th The hikers suffered severe contusions caused by an "unknown greater force" (the shockwave of the meteoroid or bomb) 

5th The shockwave of the meteoroid could have caused those severe internal injuries. 

6th The shockwave of the meteoroid could have caused the avalanche, which fell on the tent causing new contusions and more fractures to the group of hikers while they were still inside.

 7th The hikers were lightly dressed. This could have been due to the heat produced by these cosmic events, causing them sudden and spontaneous warmth. Some group members, like Igor, were found with their coats unbuttoned, and the same happened with other hikers (something very strange when you are suffering from hypothermia).

8º Semyon was found with a camera hanging around his neck. This could have been because they wanted to photograph the scene.

9th The family members of the victims from the group of hikers indicate that the bodies had a strange orange color on their faces. This could have been due to the fireball caused by the meteoroid, which reached some of the hikers who were more exposed.

It may not have been just a meteoroid; I do not rule out that there could have been 2, 3, 4 impacts in short intervals of time, and that caused them panic, multiple fractures, and was the reason they abandoned the store searching for refuge in the forest, with the subsequent falling branches, snow on them, and as a result the deaths of the already very injured hikers, adding the low temperatures of that fateful night.

I would like to point out that in the investigations following the hikers' group, the damage to the forest trees was not taken into account. I do not mean to say that just because it is a meteoroid, it has to leave thousands of trees broken or burned. The impact of the meteoroid did not have to be as devastating as Tunguska's, but it was powerful enough to cause internal injuries, temporary blindness, and eardrum rupture...etc.

[GlennM]

It is true that a metrorite may fragment and leave a trail of itself along the length of the ground it strikes. Given the speeds imvolved, it would sll be over in a matter of seconds from the greatest to the least. Typically we believe a meteorite to be a single stony object either burning itself up or hitting earth.,

I am sceptical because if it it is a single strike, that is the end of it. If you were not hit, then no need to run. If you were hit by impact debris, or the thing itself, it would be sensible to stay under blankets, take what medicine or strong drink is available. Walking a mile to get away from a finished event is worth thinking about. Do the rewards justify the effort?  Does the effort stand to make things better? Do the case files suggest anyone looked for rocket debris? It is comparable.

[Ziljoe]

Glenn, that’s exactly the point that stands out to me as well. A meteor airburst is an extremely fast event ,seconds, not minutes. Once the flash and shockwave are over, there’s nothing ongoing to flee from.

The Dyatlov group didn’t behave like people reacting to a sudden, finished event. They behaved like people responding to something ongoing or persistent something that made them leave the tent and keep moving downhill.it would be the same from a crashed roket ?

If a meteor had exploded overhead, the danger would have passed almost instantly. Staying in the tent, tending injuries, and conserving heat would have been the logical response. Walking a mile into the dark, in a storm, lightly dressed, doesn’t match the behaviour we see in real meteor/ crashed rokets, events like Chelyabinsk.

It’s an interesting idea, but the timeline and behaviour don’t really line up with a short, one‑off atmospheric explosion.”

[Senior Maldonado]

If a meteor had exploded overhead, the danger would have passed almost instantly. Staying in the tent, tending injuries, and conserving heat would have been the logical response. Walking a mile into the dark, in a storm, lightly dressed, doesn’t match the behaviour we see in real meteor/ crashed rokets, events like Chelyabinsk.

Meteors and rockets are different objects. While meteor is a cosmic stone, rocket is a man-made object which consists of a few modules, including fuel tanks. I do not know why, but people tend to believe that only one type of rocket accident is possible - a rocket bumps the ground, explodes immediately, and the surrounding area gets strewn with the rocket's wreckage. However, other types of accidents are possible. If there is no immediate explosion, and if rocket's tanks are damaged, fuel leakage might start. The leaked fuel might evaporate and form scattered clouds of gas  in the air. When gas concentration reaches critical point, detonation (or deflagration) might happen. Thus it will be delayed explosion in a form of air blast.

Javier, thanks for providing some insights into shock wave mechanics.

[Ziljoe]

If a meteor had exploded overhead, the danger would have passed almost instantly. Staying in the tent, tending injuries, and conserving heat would have been the logical response. Walking a mile into the dark, in a storm, lightly dressed, doesn’t match the behaviour we see in real meteor/ crashed rokets, events like Chelyabinsk.

Meteors and rockets are different objects. While meteor is a cosmic stone, rocket is a man-made object which consists of a few modules, including fuel tanks. I do not know why, but people tend to believe that only one type of rocket accident is possible - a rocket bumps the ground, explodes immediately, and the surrounding area gets strewn with the rocket's wreckage. However, other types of accidents are possible. If there is no immediate explosion, and if rocket's tanks are damaged, fuel leakage might start. The leaked fuel might evaporate and form scattered clouds of gas  in the air. When gas concentration reaches critical point, detonation (or deflagration) might happen. Thus it will be delayed explosion in a form of air blast.

Javier, thanks for providing some insights into shock wave mechanics.

Thanks for clarifying that you know rockets and meteors are different objects. Rockets can behave unpredictably depending on how the tanks rupture. But even with a delayed detonation, the key issue for me is duration. Whether it’s a meteor airburst, a fuel‑vapour ignition, or a tank deflagration, the dangerous phase is still extremely short — seconds, maybe a minute at most.

The Dyatlov group didn’t behave like people reacting to a brief event. They behaved like people responding to something ongoing, something that made the tent unsafe for a prolonged period. That’s the part I struggle to reconcile with any short‑duration blast scenario, delayed or otherwise.

And as far as the case files go, there were no signs of an explosion or rocket of any description. No debris, no blast effects, no reported flight path or trajectory. If a rocket was involved, it left no trace at all — which seems unlikely for an object of that size and complexity.
. 

[Javier]

If a meteor had exploded overhead, the danger would have passed almost instantly. Staying in the tent, tending injuries, and conserving heat would have been the logical response. Walking a mile into the dark, in a storm, lightly dressed, doesn’t match the behaviour we see in real meteor/ crashed rokets, events like Chelyabinsk.

Meteors and rockets are different objects. While meteor is a cosmic stone, rocket is a man-made object which consists of a few modules, including fuel tanks. I do not know why, but people tend to believe that only one type of rocket accident is possible - a rocket bumps the ground, explodes immediately, and the surrounding area gets strewn with the rocket's wreckage. However, other types of accidents are possible. If there is no immediate explosion, and if rocket's tanks are damaged, fuel leakage might start. The leaked fuel might evaporate and form scattered clouds of gas  in the air. When gas concentration reaches critical point, detonation (or deflagration) might happen. Thus it will be delayed explosion in a form of air blast.

Javier, thanks for providing some insights into shock wave mechanics.

Thanks for clarifying that you know rockets and meteors are different objects. Rockets can behave unpredictably depending on how the tanks rupture. But even with a delayed detonation, the key issue for me is duration. Whether it’s a meteor airburst, a fuel‑vapour ignition, or a tank deflagration, the dangerous phase is still extremely short — seconds, maybe a minute at most.

The Dyatlov group didn’t behave like people reacting to a brief event. They behaved like people responding to something ongoing, something that made the tent unsafe for a prolonged period. That’s the part I struggle to reconcile with any short‑duration blast scenario, delayed or otherwise.

And as far as the case files go, there were no signs of an explosion or rocket of any description. No debris, no blast effects, no reported flight path or trajectory. If a rocket was involved, it left no trace at all — which seems unlikely for an object of that size and complexity.
.

Guys, you have to take into account several factors that could have occurred and that I have tried to explain previously:

It may be, and it is very likely that, assuming this was an explosion caused by the impact of a meteoroid or comet (not too large)... a snowstorm was occurring, and to this we can add an avalanche triggered by the shockwave of the meteoroid. 
While this combination of tragedies was happening, the group of hikers didn’t know what was going on, and it’s logical to think that they left the tent and sought refuge in the forest until the light of the next day.

Therefore, the group of hikers was added several simultaneous tragedies. The detonation in the sky of a meteoroid fragment, whose shock wave injured the hikers, plus the avalanche caused by the meteoroid event that swept away the tent with them inside, plus the low temperatures with a snowstorm, and finally the bad decisions that the group made, without really knowing what was happening to them.

The rescuers did not go with the intention of searching for remains of a possible meteoroid impact. They were not scientists in the area where they found the hikers to be able to rule out other possibilities of the tragedy. They were rescuers such as friends, faculty professors, and members of the army without scientific knowledge.

I continue to support my theory of an explosion in the sky by a meteoroid until proven otherwise.

[Ziljoe]

Guys, you have to take into account several factors that could have occurred and that I have tried to explain previously:

It may be, and it is very likely that, assuming this was an explosion caused by the impact of a meteoroid or comet (not too large)... a snowstorm was occurring, and to this we can add an avalanche triggered by the shockwave of the meteoroid. 
While this combination of tragedies was happening, the group of hikers didn’t know what was going on, and it’s logical to think that they left the tent and sought refuge in the forest until the light of the next day.

Therefore, the group of hikers was added several simultaneous tragedies. The detonation in the sky of a meteoroid fragment, whose shock wave injured the hikers, plus the avalanche caused by the meteoroid event that swept away the tent with them inside, plus the low temperatures with a snowstorm, and finally the bad decisions that the group made, without really knowing what was happening to them.

The rescuers did not go with the intention of searching for remains of a possible meteoroid impact. They were not scientists in the area where they found the hikers to be able to rule out other possibilities of the tragedy. They were rescuers such as friends, faculty professors, and members of the army without scientific knowledge.

I continue to support my theory of an explosion in the sky by a meteoroid until proven otherwise.

Its great to look at overlapping explanations and i like that approach.

But i don't see any signs of the tent being swept away and the injuries found on the ravine 4 are 1.5 km from the tent and they wouldn't have been able to walk that distance?

[Senior Maldonado]

Whether it’s a meteor airburst, a fuel‑vapour ignition, or a tank deflagration, the dangerous phase is still extremely short — seconds, maybe a minute at most.

It's your personal point of view. My view is very different. Bombs and mines from the time of World War II still can be found underground and underwater. If treated without caution, they still can explode. Big hole in a tank and gaseous fuel's content could result in quick explosion indeed. Small hole and liquid cryogenic content could require a lot of time for evaporation and forming dangerous concentration in the air.

I continue to support my theory of an explosion in the sky by a meteoroid until proven otherwise.

This is great. I am sure we cannot avoid air blast concept, when we are talking about injuries of the Ravine 4.

[Ziljoe]

Whether it’s a meteor airburst, a fuel‑vapour ignition, or a tank deflagration, the dangerous phase is still extremely short — seconds, maybe a minute at most.

It's your personal point of view. My view is very different. Bombs and mines from the time of World War II still can be found underground and underwater. If treated without caution, they still can explode. Big hole in a tank and gaseous fuel's content could result in quick explosion indeed. Small hole and liquid cryogenic content could require a lot of time for evaporation and forming dangerous concentration in the air.

You should know im not talking about unexploded ordnance or buried WWII bombs. I’m talking about the duration of danger in an airburst scenario. Those events are extremely short, and the hikers behaved as if the danger lasted much longer.

From the beginning of the incident to leave the tent and then move to the forest, there was time to travel , build a den , start a fire , readjust clothing etc.

That is at least one hour of their time and an explosion does not last an hour ?.

The question remains as to why did they not take more equipment with them if theres a rocket stage lying close by leaking some sort of fuel in to the air?

It would be great if you could explain what happened to the rocket debris and why theres no blast evidence on the trees and snow layer's. There is no evidence of a rocket being found anywhere in the case files which im sure they would have reported.

[Senior Maldonado]

That is at least one hour of their time and an explosion does not last an hour ?.

The question remains as to why did they not take more equipment with them if theres a rocket stage lying close by leaking some sort of fuel in to the air?

It would be great if you could explain what happened to the rocket debris and why theres no blast evidence on the trees and snow layer's. There is no evidence of a rocket being found anywhere in the case files which im sure they would have reported.

As this topic is about asteroid, I can attempt to share just very general ideas about rocket.

For sure, an explosion lasts a couple of seconds. But we should distinguish between an explosion and expectation of explosion. When the upper rocket's stage bumped the slope, say 100 meters from the tent, it shook the ground and collapsed the northern part of the tent on the hikers, who were all inside. The bump also resulted in covering the collapsed part of the tent by snow -- someting like 30 cm. That layer of snow made it very difficult to use standard exit, as the exit got into snow pile. The hikers used knife and cut the roof to get out. They saw the rocket, and exactly like you they decided that it would explode in a matter of seconds. They started immediate retreat downhill. But they had no intension to leave for hours! They expected to reach safe distance, wait till the rocket blasts, then return back. It all should have taken 15 minutes maximum. But on reaching the 3rd stone ridge, the hikers understood that the rocket was not going to explode, at least not immediately. They found themselves in full uncertainty. They had two options: 1) return back, risking to face explosion any moment; 2) wait for explosion in safe place and go back only after the rocket gets harmless. They preferred option #2 -- they set the torch on a rock to mark future path for return and went to the Cedar tree.

The explosion happened in 3-4 hours, and it killed the last 4 hikers in the ravine, who still were alive. But it was not rocket's explosion. Explosion occurred in the air, half way from the rocket to the forest. Evaporated rocket's fuel was dragged there by wind and was ignited by a sparkle from the hikers' fire (there are other options for ignition source, of course). Rocket itself stayed intact, it was found and transferred to the factory by military search team. Rockets were not allowed to slip to the hands of Mansi or other civilians.

[GlennM]

Every day is boxing day on the forum!

I was the one who mentioned rocketry in the context of a meteor strike. The reason I did was because at the time, a rocket explosion was considered more probable in the minds of investigators. An effort was made to find evidence, including explaining the condition of tree tops in the woods near the cedar. Being reasonable Russian men, them thinking rocket before thinking meteor is just a matter or probability in those times. A meteor strike did suggest itself as evidenced by all the literature and art that follows. Rule out the more probable reason and then entertain the less probable one. It is just like the space man mutilation theory versus water accelerated decay of Lyuda. Which theory is more reasonable?  Which is more fun?

 Then and now, the area around 1079 has been combed for metallic debris. Meteor fragments, we know are metallic, thus findable with simple tools. Teddy, our fearless leader was gifted a metal detector.She produced a tin can. No meteorites, no rocket fins, nothing!  We also recognize that if a meteor burns up before impacting the ground, it is over and done. That is insufficient reason to vacate a tent. There were no flash burns. If the meteor disintegrated a considerable distance above or away from the camp, there is no reason to run. If somebody were urinating outside the tent and they had the idea that a meteor could concievable hit the tent area, it is understandable. Judging a trajectory of a distant  rapidly growing ball of light is hard! The arguement in this thread is that the sight and uncertainty explains  the camp and coprses. Take a ticket and get in line, your theory will be called up in order.

You are well within your rights to claim " absense of evidence is not evidence of absence". Just because we have not found something, does not mean something did no exist/occur. That is the sacred cow of the whole forum!
You may argue that a space rock started the ball rolling, so to speak. I think a seasonal storm put them on the skids, so to speak. If we go up one level in the forum directory, all the standard theories are categorized. It is a testiment to imagination, curiosity and sometimes stubbornness.

So let's lighten up!  Nobody has produced a rocket fin, nor a space rock. I can not produce the wind ( except for this windy post)

[sarapuk]

It is true that a metrorite may fragment and leave a trail of itself along the length of the ground it strikes. Given the speeds imvolved, it would sll be over in a matter of seconds from the greatest to the least. Typically we believe a meteorite to be a single stony object either burning itself up or hitting earth.,

I am sceptical because if it it is a single strike, that is the end of it. If you were not hit, then no need to run. If you were hit by impact debris, or the thing itself, it would be sensible to stay under blankets, take what medicine or strong drink is available. Walking a mile to get away from a finished event is worth thinking about. Do the rewards justify the effort?  Does the effort stand to make things better? Do the case files suggest anyone looked for rocket debris? It is comparable.

Because we have more than one site of interest I just can not visualise a meteorite strike. The tent, nothing there to suggest a meteorite strike. The trees, nearly a mile away, nothing there to suggest a meteorite strike. The ravine, nothing there to suggest a meteorite strike. The searchers at first didnt know what they were up against. It was a search and rescue operation as opposed to a recovery of bodies operation. So they would not be looking for rocket debris, initially anyway. And nothing is reported that they specifically looked for rocket debris.