Magnetic Movie

[aethernut]

From Gizmodo--

"Magnetic fields are invisible, at least usually. But Scientists from NASA's Space Sciences Laboratory have made them visible as "animated photographs," using sound-controlled CGI and 3D compositing. It makes the fields, as explained by the scientists, dance in an absolutely gorgeous movie called Magnetic Movie. You don't want to miss this one, which is the coolest video that you'll see all week, guaranteed. You can't argue with a combo of beautiful effects and amazing science."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT2AQC3X5bk

see--  http://gizmodo.com/5012347/nasa-scientists-make-magnetic-fields-visible-beautiful
also-- http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_date/2007/mag_mov

[zerotensor]

At first I thought that the magnetic field lines were drawn according to an actual stereo or multichannel recording of VLF in the laboratory-- Unfortunately, it seems that the effect is purely fanciful.  The soundtrack is of earth-whistlers, and the lines are based on data from satellite observations of the sun -- not on local lab data.

In Magnetic Movie, Semiconductor have taken the magnificent scientific visualisations of the sun and solar winds conducted at the Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) and Semiconducted them. Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt of Semiconductor were artists-in-residence at SSL. Combining their in-house lab culture experience with formidable artistic instincts in sound, animation and programming, they have created a magnetic magnum opus in nuce [in a nutshell], a tour de force of a massive invisible force brought down to human scale, and a 'very most beautiful thing'.

Maybe someday we will be able to visualize real magnetic fields in this way, but for now it would seem that this is a concept-piece.

[aethernut]

@ zerotensor
Bummer.  I thought it was real.  It sure would be useful around here.