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

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the hypothetical scenario of hearing the Sun if sound waves could travel through space, akin to how they propagate through air. It highlights that sound waves generated by the Sun's internal processes can be detected through helioseismology, which studies these waves to understand solar dynamics. The conversation also touches on the concept of sound waves emanating from gas clouds around black holes, emphasizing the low pitch detected. Ultimately, sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space, limiting our ability to hear the Sun directly.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of helioseismology and its significance in solar studies
  • Basic knowledge of sound wave propagation in different mediums
  • Familiarity with astrophysical phenomena, including solar flares and black holes
  • Concept of plasma physics and its properties in stellar environments
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of helioseismology and its applications in solar physics
  • Explore the characteristics of sound waves in various mediums, particularly in plasma
  • Investigate the detection of sound waves from astronomical phenomena, including black holes
  • Study the effects of solar flares and their impact on surrounding space environments
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, and anyone interested in the dynamics of the Sun and sound wave propagation in space will benefit from this discussion.

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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