How far from the LIGO event would we have to be to hear it?

Question

I imagine that at some optimum distance the gravitational waves would create compression and rarefaction waves in air sufficiently loud to be heard by the human ear. What is that distance? The previous reference given came up with a change in length of 1% at 2000 miles distance. That IMHO would be a planet wrecker. I am looking for a distance where the sound could just be heard.

Answer 1

Sound is a longitudinal pressure wave in a fluid. A gravitational wave is something entirely different, it is a transversal wave of space-time geometry.

For all intents and purposes, you can't hear them (in much the same way you can't hear electromagnetic waves, no matter how strong they are; you can see EM waves, if their frequency is right).

Even if there is an ever so slight coupling between both types of waves, if you noticed the effect it would mean instant death since it implies a large changing quadrupole moment of mass in your vicinity.