Explain the phenomenon of sand singing

For centuries, the phenomenon of some desert regions in the world emits a strange sound that sounds like music that has fascinated tourists and adventurers.

The ancients thought it might be the scream of the demon god in hell or the singing of the mermaid to lure the sailors. However, with modern science, its true origin is still a question that cannot be clarified.

So far, according to researchers, around the world there are about 30 desert known to sing in the Americas, Africa and Asia. There are many different explanations, but they generally agree on the hypothesis that vibration occurs below the surface of the dune.

In a report published recently in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, a team of scientists from France have worked together to solve the mystery: how can those singing sand particles produce sounds at the same time?

Scientists tested the phenomenon of 'sand singing'
in the laboratory. (Photo: American Geophysical Union)

To answer this question, sound researchers conducted tests at two different sand dunes: one in the Sahara desert, southwest Morocco and the other near Al-Askharah - the coastal town. southeastern Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula. The result: in Morocco, many sandy beaches create a regular frequency at 105Hertz, while in Oman sometimes there is a jarring noise with an erratic frequency up and down, from 90 to 150hertz. In addition, while Moroccan desert sand is relatively uniform in size, it is not in Oman.

Conducting the isolation of different sized particles and recording sounds as they move through the air in the laboratory, scientists conclude that 'sand singing' is a phenomenon that depends on the size and speed of the transfer. dynamics of sand , ie different sized particles will move at different speeds.

However, they still do not understand how erratic movements can be combined into quite coherent tracks. The widely accepted hypothesis is that the movement of sand grains occurs simultaneously, or oscillates at the same frequency. Thousands of small vibrations combined easily lead to the shock of the air, from which sounds come out, said lead author Simon Dagois-Bohy.

Reference: Ouramazingplanet