Sound experts’ perspectives on astronomy sonification projects

Abstract

The Audible Universe project aims to create dialogue between two scientific domains investigating two distinct research objects: stars and sound. It has been instantiated within a collaborative workshop that began to mutually acculturate the two communities, by sharing and transmitting respective knowledge, skills and practices. One main outcome of this exchange was a global view on the astronomical data sonification paradigm for observing the diversity of tools, uses and users (including visually impaired people), but also the current limitations and potential methods of improvement. From this viewpoint, here we present basic elements gathered and contextualized by sound experts in their respective fields (sound perception/cognition, sound design, psychoacoustics, experimental psychology), to anchor sonification for astronomy in a more well informed, methodological and creative process.