Radio Ears

This program delves into the sounds of Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. With the Earth’s magnetic field acting as a natural waveguide, both man-made signals and natural phenomena can be heard in across the radio spectrum. Using radio as translator, invisible phenomena manifest as auditory experiences, allowing a glimpse at the unseen electromagnetic tapestry that surrounds each of us in our daily lives.

Featured sounds: lightning (spherics and whistlers), cosmic background radiation, the Earth’s magnetic field, space weather, radar, auroras, meteors, sun storms, and the magnetic field that protects the Earth from solar radiation, the Van Allen Belt.

Sourced sounds:

Worldwide Archive of Low-frequency Data and Observations

University of Iowa Department of Physics, EMFISIS project

British Antarctic Survey Very Low Frequency Receiver at Halley Research Station

Fundamental Resonance is a broadcast series that takes a new approach to the audition of acoustic, mechanical, and electromagnetic vibrations. This project is not just about sound, though. It's also about ways to interpret the inaudible and what things we cannot sense can reveal about the universe.

In each episode, inaudible acoustics and sonified data act as a bridge between signal and soundscape, uncovering forces that shape our environment and experience, yet are rarely perceived.

These audio essays are composed of sounds you would not normally encounter or even be able to hear. They are made up of sonic artifacts left behind by movements of energy and captured through different methods of scientific inquiry.

Fundamental Resonance is an audio supplement to the art exhibition Energy Fields: Vibrations of the Pacific. Co-presented by Fulcrum Arts and Chapman University, this exhibition runs from September 15, 2024 - January 19, 2024 as part of PST ART.

Fundamental Resonance is a production of Sam Rowell, Special Collections, Fulcrum Arts, and LOOKOUT FM. Episodes begin September 15th and will also be broadcast on terrestrial radio at KFQM-LP 101.5 FM Pacific Palisades.