Among the whole variety of oscillatory movements, the closest person is in contact with low-frequency oscillations. In general, the classification of low-frequency oscillatory processes accepted in physics, and that one, is based on a person's ability to sense these vibrations in the form of sound. According to this classification, sound, also other vibrations, are divided into:
- infra-frequency (infrasound) range, where there are oscillations with frequencies up to 10 Hz;
- sound range, with fluctuations from 15 to 100 Hz;
- ultrasonic range, with oscillations above 1 kHz.
The most widespread fluctuations in the sound range, and not only because we can perceive them more often than others with the help of the senses, especially hearing. In addition, it should be taken into account that the peculiarity of human perception of vibrational phenomena in general is that our body perceives them selectively, precisely depending on the frequency. That is, if some frequencies we can perceive with the help of hearing, then other frequencies already affect vision, the vestibular apparatus, the circulatory system, etc.
By virtue of this circumstance, low-frequency oscillations become the subject of scientific interest of representatives of various sciences: radiophysics, astrophysics, wave research, military affairs, and even theories of historical pulsations.
Representatives of certain areas of science, technocrats, argue that low-frequency oscillations, their application, takes place only in the technogenic field created by man, technologies. Others, believe that the Universe itself, including social life, also represents low-frequency oscillations, the sources of their origin are seen in the existence of certain general laws of the development of being (dialectics).
To give a complete list of all these views is simply not necessary, but we will try to show the most unexpected aspects of life, where low-frequency oscillations manifest themselves.
Representatives of integrated knowledge, which saw the source and the process of our development in the action of forces of cosmic properties, took a certain middle place. They argued that civilization develops cyclically, that is, it performs low-frequency oscillations in which the period is 12 years (by analogy with the period of pulsations of galactic origin). And therefore, every 12th in the world something fateful happens. In this, for example, a temporary model of the existence of the Soviet system was built: 1893 (the year of the creation of the first Bolshevik circle), 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965 (attempt to reform N. Kosygin), 1977 (program of “developed socialism”), 1989 ... it seems that most of the dates given in this list are not necessary to understand. This concept did not receive serious scientific recognition, but at the level of mass perception, these “low-frequency oscillations” were discussed quite vividly, even in the serious press.
Another, perhaps the most odious example, where the processes under consideration are widely used, is military affairs. As far back as the century before last, the great German microbiologist Robert Koch argued that there would come times when a person would have to fight low-frequency phenomena like the plague. It is difficult to say now how his statement was perceived by some. Most likely, some took him as a warning. But there were others who might have taken it as a clue. As a result, now humanity is on the verge of creating weapons, compared with which nuclear can be perceived no worse than the American comic book.
We are talking about the creation of such a means of destruction, in which the main damaging factor is sound, noise, in the physical context - low-frequency oscillations of the infrasound range. According to some experts, if such a weapon is created, it will become a truly ethnic weapon. There are already specific developments of such weapons - the Lava and Channel systems. The prospect of their further improvement may be the creation of weapons, the goal of which will be the genetic apparatus of entire nations.
Today, really developed technologies for the use of low frequencies are quite widely used in industrial production. Due to technological, and even image interests, they are referred to in these areas as vibration processes.
In a short article it is impossible to list all areas of application and those specific tasks that are solved by technologies based on the use of low-frequency phenomena. Another thing is obvious - the use of low-frequency processes is becoming not only a subject of increased attention from the scientific community, but also a direct economic factor of development, and, as was shown above, a military-strategic factor. As for the role of low-frequency processes as an economic factor, it seems sufficient to give an example: today in the total cost of a modern ship, from 20 to 30 percent of all costs absorb the cost of providing noise insulation.