Could We Hear the Sun If Sound Waves Travelled Through Space?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the hypothetical scenario of hearing the Sun if sound waves could travel through space, particularly focusing on the nature of the sound produced by the Sun, its characteristics, and the implications of sound transmission in the solar system.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant speculates on the possibility of hearing the Sun if the inner solar system were filled with a gas capable of transmitting sound waves, questioning the type of sound, its loudness, and frequency range.
  • Another participant asserts that sound waves do exist within the Sun's atmosphere and contribute to our understanding of its internal processes, referencing the field of helioseismology.
  • A participant requests a reference for the claim about sound waves interfering with images of the Sun, indicating skepticism about the initial assertion.
  • One participant clarifies that the term "interference" was incorrect and suggests "distortion" as a more accurate description of the phenomenon related to sound waves.
  • Another participant mentions that astronomers have detected sound waves from gas clouds around a black hole, noting that they calculated the pitch to be very low.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying degrees of agreement on the existence of sound waves within the Sun, but there is no consensus on how these waves would be perceived on Earth if sound could travel through space.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions about sound transmission in space, the nature of the medium required, and the specific characteristics of sound waves generated by the Sun.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may interest those exploring concepts in astrophysics, particularly in relation to sound waves, helioseismology, and the behavior of waves in different environments.

Gerinski
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I know this is speculation but, if the inner solar system was permeated by a gas which could transmit sound waves (say for simplicity, similar to air), would we hear the Sun burning?

And which kind of sound would it be? Which timbre and range of frequencies? Would it be unbearably loud? Or very attenuated by the big distance they have to travel?
 
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Yes actually. When we first started really looking closely at the sun, we discovered that no matter what we did, we could not get a clear picture of the surface. There was a lot of random interference. It took a long time, but someone finally realized that that random interference were actually sound waves. This is how scientists can actually tell what's going in inside the star, by looking at the sound waves that come across the surface. These are in the atmosphere of the sun though.

Once you get away from the surface, there is no air to allow the sound waves to travel, the plasma is too far sparse and too hot.

Take a look at this very obvious shockwave radiating away from a solar flare. If you were standing in it, it'd sound just like a massive explosion.
MoretonWavesave.gif
 
newjerseyrunner said:
Yes actually. When we first started really looking closely at the sun, we discovered that no matter what we did, we could not get a clear picture of the surface. There was a lot of random interference. It took a long time, but someone finally realized that that random interference were actually sound waves.

Do you have a reference for this? I've never heard of this before. (The part about 'sound waves' interfering with images)
 
So you're referring to the part where they say that the ripples didn't disappear, even with more advanced instruments?
 
Yes, it took someone to understand that the ripples were sound waves coming from deep inside to really start the field of helioseismology. Interference was not the correct word, I should have called it distortion.
 
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TX. It makes complete sense that the Sun must generate sound waves in its structure, I was just wondering how would we hear them in the hypothetical case that they could be transmitted until the Earth.

I have also read that astronomers have detected sound waves spreading from the gas clouds surrounding a black hole, and they even calculated the pitch (which was very low).
 

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