How the European Space Agency turns satellite data into orchestral music
In short: When the Aeolus satellite reached the end of its mission, the European Space Agency did not just release a report. They released a symphony. By translating years of atmospheric measurements into pitch and rhythm, they created a sonic time capsule of Earth's winds.
To mark the conclusion of the Aeolus mission, composer Jamie Perera created "Life of Aeolus," a musical piece for a small wind ensemble. The work is a sonification of one year of wind data collected by the satellite, which launched in 2018 to measure Earth's winds from orbit. In this arrangement, every second of the nearly 30-minute composition represents a single day of data collected as the spacecraft orbited Earth 16 times each day.
The mechanism of the music relies on assigning specific data variables to musical elements. The pitch, volume, and length of notes are determined by the satellite's findings. For instance, the highest instrument, the piccolo, represents data from the tops of clouds captured via lasers, while lower instruments like the bassoon and bass clarinet represent data closer to the Earth's surface. Intermediate instruments, including flutes, oboes, and clarinets, convey variables such as air temperature, air pressure, wind velocity, and cloud density.
Beyond atmospheric metrics, the piece captures global history. A pulsating synthesizer rhythm underscores sections representing the COVID-19 pandemic, while drums and synthetic wind noises represent significant events like storms and volcanic eruptions. This musical record serves as a permanent archive of the satellite's life, as the spacecraft prepares for a controlled reentry into the atmosphere, an operation expected to see about 80% of the satellite burn up and the remaining 20% splash down in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: ESA space music
- Also: Listen to music
- Also: www.esa.int — ESA and music
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