Sonification and Sound Design for Astronomy Research, Education and Public Engagement

Abstract: Over the last ten years there has been a large increase in the number of projects using sound to represent astronomical data and concepts. Motivation for these projects includes the potential to enhance scientific discovery within complex datasets, by utilising the inherent multi-dimensionality of sound and the ability of our hearing to filter signals from noise. Other motivations include creating engaging multi-sensory resources, for education and public engagement, and making astronomy more accessible to people who are blind or have low vision, promoting their participation in science and related careers. We describe potential benefits of sound within these contexts and provide an overview of the nearly 100 sound-based astronomy projects that we identified. We discuss current limitations and challenges of the approaches taken. Finally, we suggest future directions to help realise the full potential of sound-based techniques in general and to widen their application within the astronomy community.