European Space Agency releases haunting sound of Earth's magnetic field
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The Earth's magnetic field can be heard in an eerie, crackling audio clip that the European Space Agency (ESA) has released. We cannot really see the magnetic field, but it is a dynamic and intricate bubble that protects us from cosmic radiation and charged particles carried by strong winds (known as solar flares) emanating from the Sun.
According to ESA, scientists from the Technical University of Denmark transformed magnetic signals—measured by the space agency's Swarm satellite mission, which is tasked with studying the magnetic field—to sound. They claim that the outcomes are somewhat frightening, NDTV reported.
"The team used data from ESA's Swarm satellites, as well as other sources, and used these magnetic signals to manipulate and control a sonic representation of the core field. The project has certainly been a rewarding exercise in bringing art and science together," as per ESA's official website.
The strange creaks, crackling noises, and deep breathing noises can be heard in the five-minute audio.
The Technical University of Denmark's Klaus Nielsen, a musician and project supporter, remarked
"We gained access to a very interesting sound system consisting of over 30 loudspeakers dug into the ground at the Solbjerg Square in Copenhagen. "We have set it up so that each speaker represents a different location on Earth and demonstrates how our magnetic field has fluctuated over the last 100,000 years," he further said.
Since the discovery was made public on October 24, the tape has been broadcast three times daily on the Solbjerg Square loudspeakers in Copenhagen, Denmark, according to ESA.
They said that the purpose of this action is to remind people that magnetic fields exist and are necessary for life to exist on Earth, rather than to frighten them.
The three Swarm satellites are being used to measure the magnetic signals coming from the Earth's core, mantle, crust, and oceans in order to better understand how the magnetic field is produced. The ionosphere and magnetosphere are also included.