Nina Czegledy, Luke Jerram – On the Aurora experience – 2004

Since time immemorial, the enigmatic Aurora or Northern Lights has bewitched and fascinated mankind. Aurora is one of the most magnificent, mysterious, and provocative natural phenomena, with attributes of spiritual and cosmological significance. From biblical quotes to descriptions by Greek and Roman philosophers to satellite recordings, auroral facts, and myths are plentiful. Aristotle wrote in his Meteorologia of “light stream far out into the atmosphere which reminds one of burning grass or jumping goats”. Ranging from Medieval Scandinavian sagas such as The King’s Mirror to early scientific investigations, interpretations have been a curious mixture of speculation and reality. Virtually every northern folklore contains references to the Aurora. Nordic people envisaged the fluttering lights as many different things from supernatural creatures fighting fierce battles in the sky, to old women dancing in the air. Ancient mythologies and some early scientific observations gained renewed consideration due to rapidly changing technologies and current space research. Contemporary views on the Aurora are tied to our understandings of the planetary magnetosphere as a whole. In the last three decades it has been confirmed that the Aurora is part of a complicated chain of interrelated natural phenomena. The whole system is conceived as intensely interacting regions of which the visible Aurora represents only a fraction of the collected and discharged energy. Despite the scientific and technical advances many essential questions remain unanswered. While space research will undoubtedly provide most of the answers, the investigative role of contemporary artists can not be overlooked.

The mysterious auroral lights and elusive sounds provided a constant source for artistic exploration, for recording and re-presenting the phenomena through photography, film and video, dance, light projections, performance and audio based projects. Despite the frequently excellent aesthetic and technical project standards, the most fascinating feature of the Aurora -an unforgettable sublime experience – remains often missing.

My own involvement in Aurora projects dates back to 1996 when in collaboration with Stephen Kovats, we initiated the first investigative phases of the project. Our aim was to engage current technology in a dialogue between naturally occurring electro-magnetic disturbances and our every day existence. How do the phenomena of the auroras reflect contemporary meanings of communication, mobility and isolation? Attempts to seek answers to these questions infused the research and presentation phases of the Aurora projects including the Aurora Test Transmission and the Aurora Reflections Panel in the summer of 1997, Aurora, an exhibition of installations by five Canadian artists in 1998, followed by The Auroral Myths -Terrestrial Realities text for the Virtual Revolution book and the Aurora: Myths, Legends and Facts interactive CD ROM in collaboration with Mare Tralla in 1999. Since 2001, Peter Ride of the University of Westminster became involved in the Aurora projects leading to our current collaboration with Luke Jerram.

How do the invisible magnetic waves become perceptible? How do we visualize, hear, and understand this indiscernible yet intensely interacting realm. How does the surrounding, invisible electromagnetic world of perpetual change affect us? Maybe the experience of an artwork cannot compete with that of the aurora and perhaps it should not even be attempted. This brings into focus a fundamental question: How do we understand, perceive and contextualize natural phenomena? We have tried to examine these questions through our personal aurora experience at the Sodankyla Observatory in Lapland.

Pilgrimage and priming for the journey – Luke Jerram

As a colour-blind artist I spend much of my time considering the nature of perceptual experiences. Our senses act like filters capturing only a limited spectrum of information. We carry with us all our experiences, memories and preconceptions that allow us to see and to interpret the world in specific ways. But this weight of knowledge can also make us blind to new experiences.

Through priming and preparations for experiencing the aurora I was hoping to maximize the intensity of the aurora upon my senses and upon my mind. How can the priming for an experience like this be compared to that of a pilgrimage? Is a religious pilgrimage a tried and tested method for the priming of a future defined experience?

As so often in modern culture I spent only a matter of weeks (not years) preparing for this particular journey. I did not walk barefoot for months in the snow to get to Lapland but flew there directly by plane in a matter of hours from Helsinki. Yet somehow there was still a sense of movement and expectation towards a future event.

To prepare for my experience of the aurora I read about the mythologies and histories of the aurora and also spent time studying the science involved with its creation. I was careful to avoid any imagery of the aurora, as I believed that this might influence or pollute my experience in someway. Although in retrospect I have found that the majority of aurora documentation fails to capture most of its major qualities, those of three-dimensionality and movement on a vast scale. Through intense study over a number of weeks I found that I was dreaming at night about light based sublime experiences. Becoming almost obsessive I felt it was almost bad luck to talk about the aurora. It would have been very possible that we might not witness the aurora if the weather conditions were poor. I tried to keep a hold on my expectations.

In short we were not disappointed by our visit to Lapland and witnessed the aurora most evenings during our stay. In retrospect I feel my priming and preliminary work did consequently enhanced my experience of the aurora, which for me was at times truly sublime. But how does my experience compare to that of someone else’s? Does my colour blindness make my experience of the aurora less intense or less real than other peoples do? How does the stimulus coming from ‘out there’ actually relate to that coming from inside us? What constitutes a sublime experience and how is this triggered?

Asking some of these same questions I hope at some point to create artwork based on my experience of the aurora. It will be important for me to acknowledge however that each viewer’s experience and interpretation of this work will be unique and of will be of equal validity.

Visit to Sodankyla.

More than hundred kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the Sodankyla Observatory is surrounded by a large pine forest. In December, the days were really short, only a few hours of pink light indicated daytime. We were extremely fortunate with excellent weather conditions and clear skies, albeit snow and cold temperatures. We lived on the Observatory grounds in the visiting scientist guesthouse, among the pine trees but equipped with internet access. Consequently, each evening lasting late into the night we diligently watched on-line the magnetic conditions of the earth as well as the images of the all- sky camera located nearby. As soon as we noted increased magnetic activity we would don our arctic clothing and run out to wait and watch the amazing, always different Aurora displays. These ranged from gentle, shimmering green lights in the sky to spectacular and multicoloured firework displays. The magic extended beyond the visual display to the sound of the wind, the river, the crunching snow, the smell of the trees, the stars in the sky – a sublime experience.

Our days were spent on meetings with the resident scientists at the Observatory. The daily discussions and our nightly aurora observations contributed to a growing number of questions. How do the naturally occurring signals and emissions correlate to our own attempts at spatial electronic manipulation, transmissions and power over our communicative environment? What is the relevance of the centuries old aurora mythologies today? How can the experience of awe and the mystery of unseen worlds be translated into an art form? How to convey the nature of the spectacle in an immersive system? How does the scientific understanding of the aurora affect the experience?

How can we use the energy of the Aurora? Esa Turunen geophysicist at Sodankyla told us that this seems to be one of the most frequently asked questions. While many have hoped to harness the power this does not seem to be a practical consideration at this point in time. Perhaps – said Esa – we will have the answer in 300 years. He also feels that to question and examine the pragmatic, psychological effects on the earth due to the aurora, might be a more useful endeavour.

Esa, Head of the Aeronomy Division at Sodankyla has been interested for many years in art projects related to the Aurora and since 1998, he has been our primary contact at the Observatory. His focus of scientific interest relates to the application of incoherent scatter in D-region aeronomy, local and global atmospheric effects due to electron precipitation and solar proton events. In Esa’s opinion, scientific understanding has very little to do with the aesthetic appreciation of a spectacular phenomena such as the Northern Lights. It seems that the more one learns about the aurora the more there is to understand.

We had long conversations with Johannes Kultima, head of the Magnetic Unit at the Observatory who has a deep interest in the historical aspects of magnetic measurements. He told us that the oldest (Chinese) magnetometer dates back to 6000 years and he also described for us how ancient Chinese wagons had a compass outside their vehicles. Thus the Chinese were able to attack and to overcome the Mongols from the desert side at Ulan Bator in a historical battle.

One morning, we visited the three Magnetic Huts on the Observatory grounds. Weekly measurements, taken at these huts are aimed to establish and record the difference between geographic and magnetic north. A quixotic atmosphere surrounds these miniature buildings and the Polish, Russian and Danish magnetometers inside. Curiously, there seemed to be a consistent reference to the origins of these instruments. The Operational Hut houses the Danish instrument, however this does not diminish the worth of the Polish magnetometer, which has been operating for 25 years, requiring no maintenance. On our visit to one of the back-up huts we found inside the magnetic unit sitting on a marble slab as no devices containing iron – including iron nails etc., are allowed in the room.

I have noted with great interest on previous visits that many instruments both in the magnetic huts and elsewhere are constructed on-site. Even the first prototypes of the Russian all-sky cameras where modified either in the Sodankyla or at the Oulu University labs.

Focussing of interest to the sound of the aurora

Speaking with Jyrki Manninen, I became fascinated in his attitude towards the subject of the sound of the Aurora. Scientists were not keen to share the details of findings concerning aurora sound or to advertise their research, as it would affect data. Would everyone start listening out for the aurora each night if they thought they could hear it? Human activity reflected, triggered and bounced back from space – sometimes called the “earth is singing”. The electromagnetic waves have three sources.

1. lightning

2. plasma in space can release free energy

3. man made power lines

When reviewing graphs related to these sources, man-made activities provide continuous waves, which do not exist in nature. Considering free energy particles and wave population – nature has a tendency to balance these factors.

Jyrki Manninen a physicist studies very low frequency (VLF) range whistler waves and their relation to Aurora. He has constructed VLF instrumentation and has organized some major measurement campaigns. Jyrki is presently working with Power Line Harmonic Radiation and the association between VLF waves and pulsating auroras.

Talking of auroral sound Jyrki said that while some aurora sound recordings may exist, none have been proven yet. He has made recordings since 2000 – no results yet. But he made it with man-made microphones and as he reminded us, the ear remains the best instrument to pick up sound. In a recent survey, about 300 amateur observers claimed they have heard the auroral sound. Their experience divides them about equally into to two groups:

1. noise type sound – resembling the sound of a big fire, such as a forest fire, wind

2. crackling sound when aurora is extremely light, even shadows can be made out on the ground.

Many scientists claim that these observations are in the mind of the observers only. In Jyrki’s opinion, one actually can make a simple test by plugging one’s ears by fingers. He reminded us, that the velocity of sound is 3 seconds/km at 100 km height it takes 5 minutes to arrive to earth (because of density, it might be even 10 minutes)- but people are claiming that the sound closely follows the movement of auroras. We may accept 2-3 seconds difference but not 5 minutes.

He cited natural possibilities – pine needles are for example paired and between the sharp ends there might be a strong current. “What happens magnetically in the sky is reflected in the ground, consequently this magnetic activity could be theoretically heard – but there have been instances where there were no pines in the vicinity and grass (another example) is often covered by snow. Hair could be also used as another example, but if this concept is true it should work also under cloud cover. Nobody ever claimed that they heard and have not seen the aurora”.

Future Artwork ambitions-Three ideas so far.

– Electrified forest.
The interview with Jyrki Manninen gave me a mental picture of electrified pine trees.

Using a van de Graff Generator I have been attempting to electrify pin cones.

A darkened white gallery space full of discharging electrified pin trees. Blue light and the smell of ionized air.

– Aurora Sound Work
For centuries people have reported hearing the aurora. Using the research of the carried out by scientists in Sodankyla on this subject, could we aim to recreate the audio experience through a creative composition? Would scientists of Sodanklya allow us to review their research- that is as yet unpublished?

Could we create a phenomenal, aurora audio experience? Colour, texture, timing, movement, could all be translated into surround sound.

Is creating a large-scale synesthetic audio interpretation of the aurora, falling into the trap of attempting to compete with it?

The Experience

Driving out into the forest at night and parking up, there is already a sense of expectation for the audience. The experience has in effect already begun through this pilgrimage. A footpath through the pine forest is dimly lit which the audience duly follows.

Once into the forest the viewer experiences a massive surround sound audio interpretation of the Aurora Borealis. This is hauntingly beautiful, mysterious music from the nights sky which filters down through the forest canopy to the viewer. The experience is both externally perceived and internally interpreted. By mixing fear and beauty the music aims to trigger visualisations for the viewer, which become superimposed with the imagery of the nighttime forest. As with the aurora the event is both a public and an intensely private experience.

– Aurora Feast.
To contrast the elegant sound-art experience, a rollicking public gala has also been envisioned to celebrate the always changing, whimsical Aurora. Since 1968, each August, the Night of the Arts marks the high point of the annual Helsinki Festival. Poets, dancers and performers take over the city streets and pubs. Museums, galleries, libraries and bookshops are open until late. Exhibitions and performances take place at various locations, many of them not usually used for those purposes. The Aurora Feast intends to revive previous culinary open-air events with a few twists. In the city center, while the public consumes an “aurora” meal with “aurora” drinks, specially prepared by “aurora” chefs – on a slightly elevated platform in the middle of the square – an interdisciplinary group including artists, designers, writers, scientists, performers etc.-will discuss the enigmatic, seductive powers of the Aurora. The performance is to be projected on a large billboard, simultaneously up-linked to the Internet.

Historically the Finns considered the Northern Lights a magical play by “fire foxes” that lit-up the sky. The Aurora Feast by challenging the notion of a revered personal experience by a public event reverts to the often-boisterous heritage of Aurora folklore.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion – what constitutes a sublime experience? Is it coming from ‘out there’ or from inside us? Does the stimuli trigger an event inside which is already primed through Pilgrimage- physical and mental journeying? While we might not find the appropriate answers, the discussions will contribute to a better understanding of contextualizing the mysteries of natural phenomena.