The first scene of The Flowering Desert focuses on the meeting of the planet Pantele and the exocomet Xoe, two astronomical bodies in motion. To represent this event, I used the Doppler effect, which is the apparent change in frequency resulting from the relative motion between the observer and the source. It is widely used as a tool in astrophysics research. As observers of the system, we see the comet first passing towards meeting Pantele, and then leaving the system. I represented musically the fictional Doppler effect we would perceive as observers of that action with a decrease in frequency (33.5 Hz every 3,3 seconds) and with the elongation of rhythmic patterns (1 quaver longer every 3,3 seconds)[65]. This fictional interaction was calculated, with certain malleability, using data from TRAPPIST-1 and the Doppler effect formula.
Example #18
Use of the Doppler effect to represent the arrival of Xoe to the planetary system to meet Pantele. The instrumental ensemble slowly morphs from F4 played in quavers (bar 1: flute and piano) to a D2 played in dotted minims tied to a dotted crotchet (bar 7: piano – right hand). This process is marked in blue in the score.