Earthtunes

Functionality & Mechanism

The Earthtunes mobile application sonifies authentic, research-quality seismic data from a global network. The interface facilitates selection of a listening location from a map and a timeframe, including near-real-time data streams. The system processes inaudible, low-frequency seismic waves by accelerating their playback, which increases their pitch into the human audible range. Generated audio is presented alongside a corresponding visual seismogram, and the system includes an export function to create shareable video files.

Evidence & Research Context

• The app's sonification method is based on techniques used by seismologists to explore research-quality data and identify weak signals from small events otherwise buried in seismic noise.
• It leverages continuously recorded seismic data from the global network managed by the IRIS Data Management Center, an NSF-funded SAGE facility.
• The associated research positions the tool for public engagement and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, particularly for K-12 students and auditory learners.
• The application includes curated educational challenges designed to demonstrate audibly distinct seismic signatures from earthquakes, volcanism, weather patterns, and anthropogenic activity.

Intended Use & Scope

This application is intended for public engagement, STEAM education, and preliminary data exploration by researchers and students. Its primary utility is to provide an intuitive, auditory representation of complex geophysical data to foster scientific curiosity. The tool is not designed for formal seismic analysis, hazard assessment, or earthquake prediction. Users seeking definitive data interpretation should consult professional seismological resources.