MOTUnation.com

Interesting interview with acoustic engineer Trevor Cox, discussing his new book, The Sound Book: The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World.

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/19/279628642 ... -the-world

Looks interesting. However, his explanation that appears on that front page of how the rumbling of thunder occurs just seems wrong.

Lightning is a full-spectrum explosion/crack. High frequencies are more directional and don't travel as far. Low frequencies go around objects and travel farther. As I understood it, the rumble is just distant thunder claps where all the high end dissipated after traveling some miles.

His explanation of the rumbling sound being related to the shape of the thunderbolt seems sketchy.

You may be right-- beyond my pay grade.

stubbsonic wrote:Looks interesting. However, his explanation that appears on that front page of how the rumbling of thunder occurs just seems wrong.

Lightning is a full-spectrum explosion/crack. High frequencies are more directional and don't travel as far. Low frequencies go around objects and travel farther. As I understood it, the rumble is just distant thunder claps where all the high end dissipated after traveling some miles.

His explanation of the rumbling sound being related to the shape of the thunderbolt seems sketchy.

+1

At least according to this source, he's right.

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/ ... umbles.htm

Explained well in the link... I have to now add a -.5, as the physics discussed in Stubbsonic's observation would also seem to be a clear contributor to the sound we hear.