A Black Hole's Journey
Science Behind the Show

Massive Star Formation

Black Hole Formation

Black Hole Merger

In this sonification we represent two black holes that are in close orbit around each other. The black holes spiral in faster and faster and closer and closer, releasing gravitational waves as they do so. 

The sonification represents the increasing speed that the black holes are going around each other as they spiral in. We hear this represented as "whoosh" sounds. One of the black holes is three times more massive than the other, which is represented as a lower pitched "whoosh" sound each time it completes one orbit. The lower mass black hole completing one orbit is represented by the higher pitched whoosh sound. 

The corresponding gravitational waves that are released are represented by a "hum" sound. The gravitational wave gets higher in frequency as the orbits get faster. This is represented by the sound getting higher in pitch. 

Eventually the two black holes merger together into one black hole. At this point the gravitational wave is its strongest. The resulting black hole "rings out" a final gravitational wave signal before settling as a new stable black hole. 

The sounds are produced using a realistic theoretical model description of the production of gravitational waves. 

For a more in-depth description of the science behind this process, and how the sonification was produced, check out this page.

Gravitational Waves

Accretion

Particle Falling onto a Black Hole