A new aspect of cosmos study has been revealed with the use of microphones on board the NASA Persevrance Marshound. These sensors have successfully detected gusts of wind and captured the sounds of laser pulses from the Markoprotes tools. Additionally, the microphones have recorded the sound of the rotating blades of the Martian Ingenuity helicopter and the rhythm of the Oxygen Experiment on board Perseveration.
The inclusion of acoustic sensors in research devices for Mars and other space areas is actively supported by Professor Timothy Leighton from the University of Southampton. In an article by Space.com, Leighton emphasizes that it is not only about listening to sounds. By analyzing the recorded sounds, valuable information about wind, temperature, chemical composition, and turbulence on Mars can be obtained.
Leighton has developed an acoustic simulator for a planetarium, which reproduces the expected sounds of various phenomena such as thunder, wind, and cryovulcans found on Venus, Mars, and Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.
Since its landing in February 2021, the NASA Persevrance Mars-Road has become the first device on the red planet that can transmit acoustic data from the surface. The main sources of recorded sounds on Mars include the atmosphere (wind and turbulence), shock waves from instruments on board the Mars-Rosa, and artificial sounds like the engines of the Marshod and the rotating blades of the Ingenuity helicopter.
A collection of Martian sounds, known as the “Perseum Persevrance,” has already been established, with researchers noting that the flights of the Ingenuity helicopter produce the most vivid sounds.
Thus, it is evident that space can serve as a valuable source of audio recordings, providing further insight into the cosmos.