What Would Audible Gravity Waves Sound Like?

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SUMMARY

This discussion explores the hypothetical sounds produced by gravitational waves if they were emitted at audible frequencies and strong enough to be perceived without specialized equipment. The pitch of these sounds would depend on the originating gravity waves, while loudness and timbre could be influenced by surrounding objects. Unlike sound, gravitational waves propagate almost instantaneously, causing simultaneous stretching of all nearby objects. The conversation also touches on how to differentiate the unique timbre and characteristics of gravitational waves from other audible phenomena such as earthquakes or explosions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of gravitational wave physics
  • Knowledge of sound wave propagation
  • Familiarity with audio frequency ranges
  • Basic concepts of wave interference and timbre
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties of gravitational waves and their detection methods
  • Explore the relationship between sound waves and gravitational waves
  • Investigate the effects of wave polarization on sound perception
  • Learn about existing gravitational wave detection technologies, such as LIGO
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, audio engineers, and anyone interested in the intersection of gravitational wave science and sound perception.

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Suppose that some process emits gravity waves which are in audible frequency AND are so extremely strong as to be converted into audible sound spontaneously - without any specialized detectors.

What would they sound like?

While the pitch is caused by the originating gravity waves, loudness and therefore timbre can be modified by detecting objects.

Other audible sounds travel at up to a few km/s. But gravitational waves have the property of propagating essentially instantly compared to sound speed. Their absorption in Earth is also negligible compared to their own total amplitude. It follows that all objects around the hearer would be stretched at the same time, in the same direction and with the same acceleration as the hearer.

How can the characteristic timbre, distribution and polarization effects of gravity wave absorption be identified by an informed but unequipped observer compared to less improbable sources of audible sound like earthquakes, distant explosions etc.?
 
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So... How do *deliberate* gravity wave detectors detect them in the first place?
 

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