Tiny Matters From volcanoes and Swiftquakes to buzzing bees: How scientists use sound to understand our environment
Jun 12, 2024
Laura Figueroa, an Assistant Professor at UMass Amherst specializing in bee conservation and bioacoustics, shares fascinating insights on how sound helps monitor everything from volcanic eruptions to insect populations. She discusses innovative bioacoustic methods to track bees and their crucial roles in ecosystems. Listeners will be intrigued by the phenomenon of 'swiftquakes' triggered by music and the challenges of identifying insect sounds. Figueroa emphasizes the significance of making these tools accessible to enhance our ecological understanding.
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Bogoslof Volcano Eruptions Tracked by Sound
- In 2016, Bogoslof volcano in Alaska erupted after 24 years of quiet.
- Scientists tracked 70 eruptions over eight months using sound, due to a lack of on-site equipment.
Hydrophones and Piezoelectricity
- Hydrophones, underwater microphones using piezoelectricity, record ocean sounds.
- They capture acoustic pressure changes in ceramic, converting them into electrical signals.
WWII Hydrophone Experiment
- During WWII, a hydrophone detected an underwater explosion 900 miles away, thanks to the SOFAR channel.
- This channel, formed by ocean layers, helps low-frequency sounds travel vast distances.