Snow Boom?

Is it possible for my neighbor’s car crashing into his driveway snow pile to be transmitted across out backyards, causing my house to shake? I am not sure of the physics, but the snow from our yards constitutes one continuous sheet of snow about a foot deep.

Vibrations transmit through solids (and liquids, and gases). That’s what seismographs are used—to measure the values of ground vibrations. Vibration, shaking…seem to be synonymous, don’t they?

No.

The reason is snow is pourous and has space to take the force. Think of running into a wall with a bunched up blanket in front of you.

I disagree with the ‘snow is too porous’ theory. It thaws and re-freezes in a constant cycle creating packed ice and snow. Plus, chunks could have flown up and hit the side of the house, causing it to shake.

Possible? Sure. Likely? It’s certainly not something that happens all the time.

How far is your house from his snowpile?

Keep in mind that the characteristics of snow vary a lot with the temperature it fell at, its moisture content, and subsequent air temperatures. Powder snow that hasn’t melted and refrozen is going to behave a lot differently than slush that has been rained on then refrozen.

If the “Dr” in your name implies MD, why not put your stethoscope on your house wall and send someone out to whack the neighbor’s snowpile with the flat of a shovel?

honestly, either you were tripping or had too much nog.

Not without damage to his car…perhaps he hit the curb?

I think it’s possible if the snow pack was melted and refrozen.