Extraterrestrial sound for planetaria: a pedagogical study

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to supply an acoustical simulation device to a local planetarium 11 for use in live shows aimed at engaging and inspiring children in science and engineering. The device 12 plays audio simulations of estimates of the sounds produced by natural phenomena to accompany audio13 visual presentations and live shows about Venus, Mars and Titan. Amongst the simulated noise are the 14 sounds of thunder, wind and cryo-volcanoes. The device can also modify the speech of the presenter (or 15 audience member) in accordance with the underlying physics to reproduce those vocalisations as if they 16 had been produced on the world under discussion. Given that no time series recordings exist of sounds 17 from other worlds, these sounds had to be simulated. The goal was to ensure that the audio simulations 18 were delivered in time for a planetarium’s launch show to enable the requested outreach to children. The 19 exercise has also allowed an explanation, in an age-appropriate way, of the science and engineering behind 20 the creation of the sounds. This has been achieved for young children, and also for older students and 21 undergraduates, who could then debate the limitations of that method, and how a fuller research 22 programme might rectify them.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Timothy Leighton: orcid.org/0000-0002-1649-8750

ORCID for Paul White: orcid.org/0000-0002-4787-8713

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