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Re: Listening to Leonids



Bernard Cleyet wrote:

so now our ears are radio receivers?

Bernard, apparently you didn't take time to read the article Brian was
highlighting
<http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26nov_1.htm?list67990>.
Your question is answered by the article:

"Of course, human ears can't directly sense radio signals. If Keay is
right, something on the ground -- a 'transducer' -- must be converting
radio waves into sound waves. In laboratory tests, Keay finds that
suitable transducers are surprisingly common. Simple materials like
aluminum foil, thin wires, pine needles -- even dry or frizzy hair --
can intercept and respond to a VLF field."

"Here's how it works: Radio waves induce currents in electrical
conductors. 'Strong, low-frequency currents can literally shake ordinary
objects,' explains Dennis Gallagher, a space physicist at the NASA
Marshall Space Flight Center. 'When things shake, they launch vibrations
into the air, which is what we hear.'"

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright <exit60@cablespeed.com>
Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
Charlotte MI 48813 USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~