Scientists have been puzzled by strange sounds echoing through the
Pacific Ocean. The mysterious "T waves" are among the purest sounds
heard in nature, usually with a single frequency of 3-12 cycles per
second.
Blasting for seconds to minutes at a time, these strange sub-bass
rumblings were recorded especially often in 1991 and 1992. Where do
the mysteriously pure tones come from?
The source is now thought to be an undersea volcano in the South
Pacific. When it erupts, it creates a column of steam bubbles that
acts as a resonator (like an organ pipe) to create the deep, pure
sound. According to calculations, the distance between the top of
the volcano and the surface of the ocean (130 meters / 426 feet) is
just right to produce the frequencies heard.
