This is the eerie sound of the Earth’s magnetic field

Although essential to life on Earth, magnetic field Our planet is not something we can see or hear in and of itself. Earth’s magnetic field Complex and dynamic bubble That protect us from cosmic radiation and charged particles that are attracted by the strong winds flowing from the sun.

When these particles collide with the atoms and molecules of our atmosphere, primarily with oxygen and nitrogen in its upper layers, part of the energy of the collisions is transformed into the typical state and Spooky blue and green lights of the northern lights. And yesWhile the aurora borealis give us a visual guide to how our magnetic field works, it’s an entirely different matter to hear how it interacts with other particles or the solar wind itself.

Earth’s magnetic field is very much Created by an ocean of liquid iron that I know that they form the outer core of our planet, lie about 3,000 kilometers below our feet, and that they function in a manner similar to that of a dynamo in a bicycle wheel, in that the rotating motion produces electric currents, which, on this occasion, in turn generate an ever-changing magnetic field.

To study this magnetic field, in 2013 the European Space Agency launched three satellites swarm Not only with the intent of accurately measuring the magnetic signals that precede the Earth’s core, but also the mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere, and magnetosphere.

This data was exactly the one that a team of musicians and scientists from the Technical University of Denmark used to interpret what the Earth’s magnetic field sounds like to the human ear. “A project that was undoubtedly a satisfying exercise in unifying art and science,” he says. Klaus NielsenOne of the team members.

It may sound like a nightmare, but surprisingly, this sound clip represents the magnetic field generated by the Earth’s core and its interaction with a solar storm.

“The rumble of Earth’s magnetic field is accompanied by a representation of a geomagnetic storm caused by a solar flare on November 3, 2011, and it actually looks very scary,” Nielsen adds.

The intent, of course, is not to scare people, but rather a bizarre way of reminding us that the magnetic field exists, and although its noise is a bit disconcerting, the very existence of life on Earth depends on it.

Earth’s magnetism is weakening