Atmospheres and Disturbances

Background Atmospheres and Disturbances maps the sound ecology of the Bernese Alps to demonstrate the transformative effects of climate change upon high-altitude wilderness regions. It builds on the research undertaken at the High Altitude Research Station at Jungfrau, which measures solar radiation and atmospheric gases. The project draws on the seminal work of Annea Lockwood and her use of sound mapping to record the complexity of river systems, including the Hudson and Danube. It also draws on the theoretical work of R. Murray Schaefer who argues that the soundscape of post-industrial societies is almost always considered to be negative. Atmospheres and Disturbances contributes to the fields of acoustic ecology, soundscape studies and geohumanities. Contribution This project is significant for its attempt to articulate the aural changes occurring in high-altitude ecologies through climate change and increased anthropogenic sound. Atmospheres and Disturbances captures the velocity of wind and its attendant stress on structure, the erosion of the landscape through rising temperatures and the loss of permafrost, and the increasing noise generated by mass tourism, construction, and transport services. The composition reveals a landscape ecology under siege through a confluence of factors that are dramatically reshaping the acoustic and spatial characteristics of the natural alpine environment. Significance Atmospheres and Disturbances was presented at the InterCommunication Centre (ICC) Gallery in Tokyo as part of an exhibition titled 0 Degrees Celsius comprising the works of artists exploring the effects of climate change on cold-climate ecologies. The project was supported by Creative Victoria, the High-Altitude Research Station at Jungfraujoch and Gornegrat, the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology at the Zurich University of the Arts, and the Swiss National Science Foundation.