Halloween sounds have been captured recently by a NASA spacecraft that was orbiting at Jupiter. The truth is, studying such audio waves is a continuation of the approach done during the 1950s.
The moan-like signals have been intercepted by an apparatus known as Waves, which was onboard the space vessel Juno. The fly-by has occurred around 2,600 miles beyond the gas giant's revolving atmosphere.
Location of the emitted voices has been determined to be coming from Jupiter's vastly-scaled auroras, which are like the Earth's northern and southern lights.
A camera installed on the flight has collected high-resolution images of the Jovian sphere together with the sound. The first photos of Jupiter's North and South Poles have also been captured.
After bringing the recordings back to Earth, engineers converted the emitted data into sound files. However, the sound cannot be accommodated by the human ear due to its very high frequency. To make the audio available, experts have to 'downshift' the range so that it becomes audible.
According to Bill Kurth, Waves co-investigator and a research scientist at the University of Iowa, the biggest planet in this part of the solar system is, in a way, communicating only a giant gas world can. He also observed that the emissions are the strongest in the galaxy.
Considering that the waves contain matters that produce large auroras circulating Jupiter's North Pole, the next step of the investigation is to determine where the highly-energized electrons came from. It must be noted that the hyperactive motion on Jupiter's surface is due its magnetic field. Scientists also want to learn how particles accelerate above Jupiter, setting them up on a collision course with the atmosphere that result to the formation of lights.
The fly-by, which happened last August 27, is the nearest the Juno space vessel could muster in viewing Jupiter. NASA's spacecraft remains on course to pursue 35 more close-in flights on the biggest planet of the solar system until February 2018.
