THE PROJECT
From Memory was the final performance of Journey to the Sun, a 5 segment theatrical event exploring theater as a method of presenting scientific information created by Grin City Collective's Culture Lab. From Memory was the final performance of the evening and was intended to encapsulate the other 4 pieces while also exploring the relationship between time, space and memory. Throughout the show's performances, audio samples where collected in realtime to be integrated into the final audio piece. The realtime samples were then combined with samples recorded during rehearsal (using different actors to introduce the idea of misremembering) and sounds generated and manipulated by solar wind data being transmitted back to Earth from the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (or STEREO) satellites that are currently orbiting and monitoring the sun.
THE LIVE PERFORMANCE
THE DATA
The STEREO satellites log data at one minute intervals. From Memory began by writing a script to automatically download this data from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center every 30 minutes. The data was then reviewed to find sets that included the most usable data records from the days leading up to the performance.
:Data_list: sta_plastic_1m.txt :Created: 2014 Oct 06 16:16 # Prepared by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Please send comments and suggestions to SWPC.Webmaster@noaa.gov # # Units: Proton density p/cc # Units: Bulk speed km/s # Units: Ion temperature degrees K # Status(S): 0 = nominal data, 1 to 8 = bad data record, 9 = no data # Missing data values: Density and Speed = -9999.9, Temp. = -1.00e+05 # Source: STEREO A Satellite - Plasma and Suprathermal Ion Composition Instrument # # Real-time Bulk Paramters of the Solar Wind Plasma, sampled once per minute # # Modified Seconds ------------- Solar Wind ------------ # UT Date Time Julian of the Proton Bulk Ion # YR MO DA HHMM Day Day S Density Speed Temperature #------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 10 06 1417 56936 51453 0 5.8 432.9 1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1418 56936 51513 0 4.5 424.3 1.41e+05 2014 10 06 1419 56936 51573 0 3.7 434.5 1.02e+05 2014 10 06 1420 56936 51633 0 5.0 433.1 1.77e+05 2014 10 06 1421 56936 51693 0 3.6 417.1 1.81e+05 2014 10 06 1422 56936 51753 0 3.6 431.0 9.94e+04 2014 10 06 1423 56936 51813 0 3.1 419.2 2.02e+05 2014 10 06 1424 56936 51873 0 5.2 433.2 1.35e+05 2014 10 06 1425 56936 51933 0 5.3 428.3 9.49e+04 2014 10 06 1426 56936 51993 0 5.1 437.7 1.10e+05 2014 10 06 1427 56936 52053 0 4.3 433.8 1.50e+05 2014 10 06 1428 56936 52113 0 4.8 440.3 1.15e+05 2014 10 06 1429 56936 52173 0 5.1 431.2 1.30e+05 2014 10 06 1430 56936 52233 0 4.3 435.5 1.81e+05 2014 10 06 1431 56936 52293 0 5.3 435.4 1.52e+05 2014 10 06 1432 56936 52353 0 6.0 431.1 1.09e+05 2014 10 06 1433 56936 52413 0 5.7 442.4 1.52e+05 2014 10 06 1434 56936 52473 0 6.4 451.2 1.48e+05 2014 10 06 1435 56936 52533 0 7.0 461.2 2.05e+05 2014 10 06 1436 56936 52593 0 6.2 448.9 1.74e+05 2014 10 06 1437 56936 52653 0 6.2 450.2 1.35e+05 2014 10 06 1438 56936 52713 0 6.8 441.4 1.39e+05 2014 10 06 1439 56936 52773 0 5.6 429.1 8.88e+04 2014 10 06 1440 56936 52800 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1441 56936 52860 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1442 56936 52953 0 6.1 437.7 1.70e+05 2014 10 06 1443 56936 53013 0 5.5 435.3 1.35e+05 2014 10 06 1444 56936 53073 0 3.1 426.5 1.32e+05 2014 10 06 1445 56936 53133 0 3.8 422.3 2.40e+05 2014 10 06 1446 56936 53193 0 4.2 419.3 1.83e+05 2014 10 06 1447 56936 53253 0 4.4 431.6 1.24e+05 2014 10 06 1448 56936 53313 0 3.5 425.4 1.55e+05 2014 10 06 1449 56936 53373 0 3.2 419.7 9.91e+04 2014 10 06 1450 56936 53433 0 3.7 433.3 2.01e+05 2014 10 06 1451 56936 53493 0 3.5 436.1 1.56e+05 2014 10 06 1452 56936 53553 0 3.7 424.3 9.78e+04 2014 10 06 1453 56936 53613 0 4.8 425.5 1.35e+05 2014 10 06 1454 56936 53673 0 3.5 425.2 9.80e+04 2014 10 06 1455 56936 53733 0 3.7 422.7 1.40e+05 2014 10 06 1456 56936 53793 0 5.5 457.5 1.48e+05 2014 10 06 1457 56936 53853 0 5.8 438.0 1.56e+05 2014 10 06 1458 56936 53913 0 5.6 447.6 1.13e+05 2014 10 06 1459 56936 53973 0 6.0 441.9 9.66e+04 2014 10 06 1500 56936 54033 0 4.9 447.3 1.23e+05 2014 10 06 1501 56936 54093 0 5.5 443.2 1.21e+05 2014 10 06 1502 56936 54153 0 6.2 441.2 1.18e+05 2014 10 06 1503 56936 54213 0 5.3 439.0 9.70e+04 2014 10 06 1504 56936 54273 0 5.8 431.8 1.15e+05 2014 10 06 1505 56936 54333 0 5.3 434.8 8.71e+04 2014 10 06 1506 56936 54393 0 4.5 431.3 1.06e+05 2014 10 06 1507 56936 54453 0 5.2 436.5 1.30e+05 2014 10 06 1508 56936 54513 0 5.1 444.6 1.40e+05 2014 10 06 1509 56936 54573 0 5.6 434.7 1.23e+05 2014 10 06 1510 56936 54633 0 5.1 439.0 1.07e+05 2014 10 06 1511 56936 54693 0 4.6 425.8 1.61e+05 2014 10 06 1512 56936 54753 0 4.3 430.7 1.40e+05 2014 10 06 1513 56936 54813 0 4.2 423.9 1.26e+05 2014 10 06 1514 56936 54873 0 4.0 432.4 1.60e+05 2014 10 06 1515 56936 54933 0 2.9 430.9 1.06e+05 2014 10 06 1516 56936 54993 0 4.8 449.5 1.66e+05 2014 10 06 1517 56936 55053 0 4.6 436.3 1.07e+05 2014 10 06 1518 56936 55113 0 4.8 439.6 1.14e+05 2014 10 06 1519 56936 55173 0 4.8 447.2 1.07e+05 2014 10 06 1520 56936 55233 0 4.9 439.8 1.71e+05 2014 10 06 1521 56936 55260 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1522 56936 55320 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1523 56936 55380 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1524 56936 55440 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1525 56936 55500 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1526 56936 55560 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1527 56936 55620 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1528 56936 55680 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1529 56936 55740 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1530 56936 55800 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1531 56936 55860 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1532 56936 55920 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1533 56936 55980 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1534 56936 56040 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1535 56936 56100 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1536 56936 56160 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1537 56936 56220 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1538 56936 56280 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1539 56936 56340 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1540 56936 56400 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1541 56936 56493 0 4.0 423.1 8.80e+04 2014 10 06 1542 56936 56520 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1543 56936 56613 0 3.8 418.5 1.37e+05 2014 10 06 1544 56936 56673 0 2.9 418.4 1.21e+05 2014 10 06 1545 56936 56733 0 2.6 407.2 1.95e+05 2014 10 06 1546 56936 56760 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1547 56936 56820 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1548 56936 56880 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1549 56936 56940 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1550 56936 57000 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1551 56936 57060 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1552 56936 57120 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1553 56936 57180 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1554 56936 57240 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1555 56936 57300 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1556 56936 57360 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1557 56936 57420 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1558 56936 57480 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1559 56936 57540 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1600 56936 57600 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1601 56936 57660 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1602 56936 57720 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1603 56936 57780 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1604 56936 57840 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1605 56936 57900 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1606 56936 57960 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1607 56936 58020 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1608 56936 58080 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1609 56936 58140 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1610 56936 58200 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1611 56936 58260 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1612 56936 58320 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1613 56936 58380 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1614 56936 58440 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1615 56936 58500 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05 2014 10 06 1616 56936 58560 9 -9999.9 -9999.9 -1.00e+05
THE INTERFACE
A custom interface was developed to select and parse the downloaded data logged by the STEREO satellites during the performance and convert the values to MIDI notes. The MIDI data is then used to generate sound and control audio samples.
[CRON -> OF -> MAX/MSP -> Live]
Live performance among the extinction sculptures. Photo by Cameron Conion
THE SOUNDS
Three values are available from STEREO's monitoring of solar winds which are sampled every minute and sent back to earth. The values represent proton density, bulk speed and ion temperature.
The data is then parsed through a custom interface so the values can be used to generate and control the sounds being performed.
Below is an example sound from each individual value.
Listen
Speed individual sound
Listen
Ion Temperature individual sound
Listen