Ellie Shambrook, Emma Ashwell, Oliver Davies and Kaitlyn Paton

• Interdisciplinary Approaches to Perceptualizing Intangible Phenomena through Sound and Listening
• MPhys Physics with Astrophysics, BA Hons Music and BA Hons Fine Art

Our group project explored the process of sonification, which we can use to make otherwise intangible phenomena more tangible. We decided to focus on the collision of two black holes, a difficult phenomenon to interpret, and to explore alternative ways of representing it. As an interdisciplinary team, our aim was to combine our respective fields of Physics, Music and Art to create a physical and creative representation of the sheer magnitude of this cosmic event.

Two black holes colliding create massive “ripples” in spacetime, known as gravitational waves. These waves can be measured using interferometers which are large lasers that can detect very small changes in wave characteristics. We took wave data from the LIGO and VIRGO observatories, which have separate detectors located across America and Italy, respectively. We plotted the frequency of these waves against time to create a visual element to base our sonification on. Frequency was an intuitive choice, as it maps to pitch.

We used Ableton Live and Audacity to sonify the data. This involved mapping parameters such as the changing frequency of the gravitational waves to audible changes in pitch, dynamics and texture. This created a sound with a rise and fall in pitch and intensity at the collision event, followed by the quieter dissipation of energy after the event.

To present our project, we created an installation with surround sound speakers and projected visuals. The surround sound immersed the audience, while the visuals showed our interpretation of the rippling pattern of gravitational waves. Our project demonstrates how an interdisciplinary approach, combing physics with music and art, can present new ways of exploring phenomena that are otherwise beyond our comprehension.