V.L.F. Natural Radio
The Earth is surrounded by a powerful magnetic field known as the magnetosphere. Since the earth is not a stable system, the magnetosphere is influenced by numerous natural phenomena : lightning, northern lights, solar storms. When a lightning bolt strikes, for example, a powerful electrical signal dissipates through the air and oscillates the magnetic field of the earth. A VLF receiver acts like a radio ; it captures the variations of an electrical signal at a predetermined frequency. For very low frequencies, the receiver is tuned at the magnetosphere and therefore captures the perturbations created by natural phenomena. That is why we called these sounds Natural Radio.
Reflections on the anticipated disappearance of a natural phenomenon :
VLF frequencies are almost unclouded by man-made telecommunications transmissions. But as the digital and wireless technologies evolve, the use of these frequencies for communications is overriding the naturally produced waves of the northern lights and other climate-related signals. For example, Russian nuclear submarines and American military beacon use VLF frequencies to communicate. These man-made signals override the natural phenomena active on the low frequency spectrum. Eventually, VLF waves will be completely drowned out by the signals of various telecommunication systems.
Participated a this project since 2000
Mathias Deplanque aka LENA, Mathieu Marguerin de Mainsdoeuvres, The centre culturel Canadien à Paris, Quartier Éphémère,
André Théberge, The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec,EST-NORD-EST, Emmanuelle Léonard, Rikka Suomi from the Finnish Artits Studio Foundation Peter Ride from the Centre for Arts Research, Technology and Education CARTE.
