Topographical Data Sculpture: Exploring Gravitational Wave Sonification Using an ArtScience Approach
Using ArtScience methodology, we visually represent stellar mergers through 3D printing sonifications from LIGO-VIRGO-Kagra and simulated events, employing diverse software for three-dimensional topographical visualizations of Gravitational Waves, fostering public accessibility and inclusivity for a tangible connection to multi-messenger data.
Introduction
Visualizing Compact Object (CO) mergers is often difficult due to the multi-messenger nature of the data. A common method used to visualize multi-messenger data in astronomy is sonification (Zanela et. al 2022). Moreover, sonification has been ubiquitously used to visualize the in-spiral, merger, and wind down phases of gravitational wave sources. By sonifying the data, we create an audible version in which attributes of the merging system's parameters are more recognizable. In order to expand upon the current front of sonification and to make it even more accessible, we are interested in representing the sound waveform in a three-dimensional topographical visualization. The visualizations are to describe the different GW's that LIGO has discovered in the past decade. We will use a variety of software, namely processing4, adobe illustrator, Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, as well as 3D printing software.
Sonification has the same relevance of other science-art practices that are held by 2 main logics: accountability and innovation. Our research should work in a legitimizing conversation with science. The sonification sculpture must dip its toe into the abstraction of gravitational waves. Thus, it requires that there must be an initiation of poetic interpretation in which there is a triggering of an "interdisciplinary reflectivity." The visualizations aim to explore a boundary and bridge a gap in science and the arts through the visualization of the otherwise invisible. They are to aid in the understanding of gravitational waves, but also for the accessibility of the data to the general public as well as to those with visual as well as auditory impairment; a way to make gravitational wave data physical.
First Petals (2023)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) PLA Filament Sculpture
A superimposed, circularly traced, collection of LIGO’s first confident detections from the GWTC-1 catalogue.
There are 11 Petals on this Gravitational wave flower.
GW150914, GW151012, GW151226, GW170104, GW170608, GW170729, GW170809, GW170814, GW170817, GW170818, GW170823.
Sonifcation waveforms from Jonah Kanner
Eccentric In-spiral (2023)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) PLA Filament Sculpture
A superimposed, circularly traced, simulated Spiral-In waveform of a 10M⊙ black hole into a 10,000,000 M⊙ black hole.
Notice that clicks are due to high eccentricity of the orbit. As the two black holes merge the spiral becomes nearly circular as the frequency increases.
Eccentric In-spiral (2024)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) PLA Filament Sculpture
A superimposed, circularly traced, simulated Spiral-In waveform of a 10M⊙ black hole into a 10,000,000 M⊙ black hole.
In a Richard Serra fashion, this piece is meant to be walked through and each bump felt. Eccentric In-Spiral physically leads the wanderer through the data.
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