Herb,
The book interview survivors of the blast. If they didn't survive
how would we know they did didn't hear the blast? (A tree falling in the
forest?)
I have always attributed it to the magnitude of the pressure wave, but
wonder why it wasn't painful as the level should be well over a hundred and
120db. One story I particular remember was a doctor who found himself
suddenly flying in the air. He landed in a river, but mentioned no pain. My
best guess is that the shockwave was like a compression or decompression
pressure difference, like when you go up in a plane. Your experience is
that suddenly sound get louder as your ear equalizes the pressure and not
that the drum is compressed or distended. We only detect something as a
sound when there are vibrations.
Lots of speculation - wish I had some facts.
Gary
Gary Karshner
St. Mary's University
San Antonio, Texas
KARSHNER@STMARYTX.EDU