The Loudest Sound in Recorded History (2 photos)

On August 27, 1883, at 10:02 AM, an event occurred that literally shook the Earth. The Indonesian volcano Krakatoa, located on the island of the same name between Java and Sumatra, erupted with such force that it produced the loudest sound in recorded history. It was heard at least 4,800 kilometers away.





The 1883 Krakatoa Eruption

According to modern estimates, the sound power at the source was approximately 310 decibels (dB). For comparison, the sound of a jet engine is approximately 140 dB. At a distance of approximately 160 kilometers, the sonic boom measured 170-172 dB, and sailors 64 kilometers from the island suffered almost complete hearing loss. The captain of the British ship Norham Castle wrote in his log:

"I am convinced that Judgment Day has arrived. My last thoughts are with my wife."

The sound traveled incredibly far. Residents of Rodrigues Island off Mauritius, 4,800 kilometers from the epicenter, heard "a series of loud bangs." In Australia, approximately 3,000 kilometers from Krakatoa, people also witnessed the eruption indirectly, mistaking the roar for artillery fire.

The shock wave was so powerful that barographs around the world recorded its passage for five days. In some places, instruments recorded the wave seven times, meaning it effectively circled the planet approximately three and a half times. Even in the most remote areas, abnormal fluctuations in atmospheric pressure were noted, which were later linked to Krakatoa.

The eruption, estimated to be equivalent to 100-200 megatons of TNT, ejected approximately 25 cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere, and the eruptive column—a gigantic column of ash, gas, and red-hot debris—rose more than 30 kilometers. The northern two-thirds of the island, including the volcano itself, were destroyed. A new volcanic island, Anak Krakatau ("Child of Krakatoa"), later emerged in its place, and the remains of the former island were later named Rakata, Sertung, and Panjang.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Krakatoa eruption and the resulting megatsunamis that struck the coasts of Java and Sumatra destroyed 165 cities and towns, and seriously damaged another 132. At least 36,000 people were buried.



Colorization of the original image by me

The effects of this event were felt across the globe. Ash and gases that reached the upper atmosphere caused global cooling: the average global temperature dropped by approximately 0.5-0.6 degrees, and sunset skies around the world took on alarming reddish-brown hues. While this may seem insignificant at first glance, the change in average global temperature is enormous: it's not just a regional shift, but a shift in the entire climate system. This led to widespread crop failures with far-reaching consequences.

The Krakatoa eruption was a turning point in the development of science. It was the first global catastrophe to be documented in detail thanks to the telegraph and a network of meteorological stations. The event spurred scientists to more systematically study volcanoes, the atmosphere, and the creation of climate models.

Read also:

Dormant volcanoes are more dangerous than active ones: why the world is ignoring the main threat.

A new volcano has appeared on Jupiter's moon Io—and it's huge.

The enormous Martian volcano Olympus Mons may have once been an island.