Caribbean Sea's Curious 'Whistle' Detected from Space
Caribbean Sea's Curious 'Whistle' Detected from Space
By Mindy Weisberger, Senior Writer | June 23, 2016 03:28pm ET
The murmur of lapping ocean waves and the crash of breaking surf are familiar to any beachgoer. But scientists recently discovered a remarkable ocean sound unlike any other, produced by a unique combination of water movement and underwater geography in the Caribbean Sea.
While the sound is at a frequency inaudible to human ears — about 28 octaves below the lowest note on a piano, according to the researchers — it can be detected in space, from the disruptions it causes in Earth's gravity field.
Bounded by South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands, the semi-enclosed basin of the Caribbean Sea acts like the body of a giant whistle, the scientists wrote in the study. And what produces the sound is a recurring but very slow-moving and low-amplitude wave pattern that travels the length of the sea in a 120-day cycle. (Video: 'Whistling' Ocean 'Heard' in Space)
Known as a Rossby wave, its motion combines with pressure on the sea bottom to generate an inaudible solo that resonates from the basin, much like how air blown into a whistle produces a melodic toot.
More:
http://www.livescience.com/55174-weird-ocean-sound-heard-from-space.html
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