Scientists Have Translated Radio Signals from Venus’ Atmosphere Into Sound

The Parker Solar Probe space probe detected natural radio signals while passing through Venus, on July 11, 2020, when he was making the third overflight by planet. Now, almost ten months later, NASA scientists have turned these waves into audio.

The signal was perceived when the probe flew through the ionosphere of the neighboring planet from the earth. The purpose of the flyby was precisely to take advantage of Venus’ gravity to make the probe fly closer and closer to the Sun. The mission also carried out the flight closest to the planet so far, reaching 833 kilometers from the surface.

One of the Parker Solar Probe tools, called Fields, recognized the natural short-range radio signal for seven minutes. “I was very excited to have new data on Venus, said Glyn Collinson, the study’s chief scientist and a member of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The frown on the dice caught his attention, even though he didn’t recognize it right away. The shape and strength were familiar to Collinson. The next day, when he woke up, he understood what it was about. The signal was similar to what he observed when he worked with NASA’s Galileo spacecraft. The mission explored Jupiter and the gas giant’s moons until 2003.

In the third flyby over Venus, the spacecraft captured an image of the night side of the planet. Image: NASA / Disclosure

This frown in the Venus data appeared when the spacecraft passed through Jupiter’s ionosphere. With this radio emission, scientists calculated the density of this layer that Parker Solar Probe flew through. It was the first time since 1992, with the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, that the Venus ionosphere was measured.

The radio signals captured last year are not audible in the vacuum of space. In addition, scientists needed to transpose this audio to a frequency capable of being captured by the human ear.

Listen to the audio of Venus radio signals:

In addition to the sound of Venus, the Parker Solar Probe probe also helped to identify the activity of the Sun in the ionosphere of planet. The affected part of the Venusian atmosphere strengthens and weakens because of the solar cycle. This cycle is an 11-year process in which the star’s activity, including coronal mass ejections, first increases and then decreases, before restarting.