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To understand exactly how the Earth’s magnetic field works, three ESA Swarm satellites were sent into space in 2013. These satellites must measure, among other things, magnetic signals.
This produced a very special result: the signals measured by the satellites were converted into sound. The musician and project supporter Klaus Nielsen calls it is “a rewarding exercise in combining art and science”.
Listen live
Scientists have excavated a sound system, consisting of more than thirty loudspeakers, in the grounds of Solbjerg Square in Copenhagen. “We set up the system so that each speaker represents a different place on Earth,” says the project leader. “This shows how our magnetic field has moved over the past 100,000 years.”
The sound is “pretty scary” according to Nielsen, because the recording is accompanied by the sound of a geomagnetic storm.
Those who want to experience the live sound can come and hear the rumble in Copenhagen throughout the week. But if you don’t feel like a trip to Denmark, you can also listen to the sound here:
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