Showing papers on "Noise pollution published in 2013"

An experimental investigation into the effects of traffic noise on distributions of birds: avoiding the phantom road

Abstract: Many authors have suggested that the negative effects of roads on animals are largely owing to traffic noise. Although suggestive, most past studies of the effects of road noise on wildlife were conducted in the presence of the other confounding effects of roads, such as visual disturbance, collisions and chemical pollution among others. We present, to our knowledge, the first study to experimentally apply traffic noise to a roadless area at a landscape scale—thus avoiding the other confounding aspects of roads present in past studies. We replicated the sound of a roadway at intervals—alternating 4 days of noise on with 4 days off—during the autumn migratory period using a 0.5 km array of speakers within an established stopover site in southern Idaho. We conducted daily bird surveys along our ‘Phantom Road’ and in a nearby control site. We document over a one-quarter decline in bird abundance and almost complete avoidance by some species between noise-on and noise-off periods along the phantom road and no such effects at control sites—suggesting that traffic noise is a major driver of effects of roads on populations of animals.

Bird song and anthropogenic noise: vocal constraints may explain why birds sing higher-frequency songs in cities

Abstract: When animals live in cities, they have to adjust their behaviour and life histories to novel environments. Noise pollution puts a severe constraint on vocal communication by interfering with the detection of acoustic signals. Recent studies show that city birds sing higher-frequency songs than their conspecifics in non-urban habitats. This has been interpreted as an adaptation to counteract masking by traffic noise. However, this notion is debated, for the observed frequency shifts seem to be less efficient at mitigating noise than singing louder, and it has been suggested that city birds might use particularly high-frequency song elements because they can be produced at higher amplitudes. Here, we present the first phonetogram for a songbird, which shows that frequency and amplitude are strongly positively correlated in the common blackbird (Turdus merula), a successful urban colonizer. Moreover, city blackbirds preferentially sang higher-frequency elements that can be produced at higher intensities and, at the same time, happen to be less masked in low-frequency traffic noise.

International Regulation of Underwater Sound: Establishing Rules and Standards to Address Ocean Noise Pollution

Abstract: Chapter One - Introduction 1. A Brief History of the Use of Sound in the Ocean 2. Ambient Noise in the Sea 3 Effects of Sound on Marine Mammals 4. Regulation of Noise in the Ocean-Some Background Chapter Two - Scientific Aspects of Underwater Sound 1. The Physics of Underwater Sound 2. Effects of Acoustic Emissions 2.1 Health Threats to Marine Mammals 2.2 Health Threats to Humans 2.3 Threats to other Marine Life 2.4 Acoustic Interference 3. Summary - Effects of Acoustic Emissions 4. Sources of Naturally-Occurring Sound in the Ocean 4.1 Physical and Geophysical Sources 4.2 Biological Sources 4.3 Sounds from Marine Mammals 5. Anthropogenic Sound in the Sea 5.1 Is Ambient Noise Increasing? 5.2 The Many Uses of Sonar 5.3 Shipping and Shipping Trends 5.4 Dredging and Coastal Construction 5.5 Offshore Oil and Mineral Exploration 5.6 Recreational Boating 5.7 Fishing and Aquaculture 5.8 Military Activities 5.9 Oceanographic Research 5.10 Other Sources 5.11 Ambient Noise Summary 6. Hotspots - Sensitive Areas of Intense Acoustic Activity 6.1 Stellwagen Bank 6.2 The Ligurian Sea 6.3 Other Hotspots Chapter Three - Focusing Events 1. What are Focusing Events? 2. The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations 2.1 What are Environmental NGOs? 2.2 Public Perception of Marine Mammals 2.3 The Natural Resources Defense Council 2.4 Other NGOs involved in Ocean Noise Pollution 2.5 The Emergence of New NGOs 3. Key Focusing Events 3.1 Ship Shock Testing 3.2 Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) 3.3 The North Pacific Acoustic Laboratory (NPAL) 3.4 Greek Whale Strandings and NATO 3.5 Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) 3.6 Bahamas Strandings 3.7 Littoral Warfare Advanced Development (LWAD) 3.8 Other Focusing Events 4. Other Factors Contributing to the Noise Controversy Chapter Four - Policy Development 1. Trail Smelter and Regulation of Transboundary Pollutants 2. The Pollution Provisions of the Law of the Sea Convention 3. Ocean Noise as a Transbounday Pollutant 4. Previous Regulation of Transboundary Pollutants 4.1 Thermal Ocean Pollution 4.2 Radiation 4.3 Air Pollution 5. Existing International Regulatory Framework 5.1 The United Nations Environmental Programme 5.2 The International Maritime Organization 5.3 International Whaling Commission 5.4 International Seabed Authority 5.5 The European Union 5.6 The Use of Regional Agreements 5.6.1 The OSPAR Convention 5.6.2 The Arctic Council 5.6.3 ASCOBANS 5.6.4 ACCOBAMS 5.6.5 NATO Chapter Five - Politics, Potential Solutions, and Obstacles 1. International Institutions 1.1 The Value of International Regimes and Organizations 1.2 GESAMP 1.3 The Development of an International Treaty 2. Conventional Approaches to Pollution Control 3. Policy Instruments for Addressing Ocean Noise Pollution 3.1 Taxes 3.2 Performance Bonds and Subsidies 3.3 Permits 3.4 Technological Standards- BAT and BPT 3.5 Best Practicable Environmental Option 3.6 Bans and Zoning 3.7 Marine Protected Areas 4. The Trend Toward Ecosystem Based Ocean Management 5. Policy Instruments - A Summary Chapter Six - The Use Of Marine Protected Areas 1. Unilateral MPAS in the U.S. and Abroad 2. Multilateral MPAs 3. The Potential of MPAs to Prevent Acoustic Disturbance 4. Zoning in MPAs 4.1 Activity-Specific Zones 4.2 Individual Source-Specific Zones 4.3 Buffer Zones 5. Challenges in Implementing MPAs and Zoning Chapter 7 - Conclusion 1. The Politics of Policy-Making 1.1 Where is the Issue of Ocean Noise? 1.2 Incrementalism and Public Policy 2. Summary of Findings Appendix A - Glossary Appendix B - List of Acronyms Bibliography

Experimentally increased noise levels change spatial and singing behaviour

Abstract: The reasons why animal populations decline in response to anthropogenic noise are still poorly understood. To understand how populations are affected by noise, we must understand how individuals are affected by noise. By modifying the acoustic environment experimentally, we studied the potential relationship between noise levels and both spatial and singing behaviour in the European robin (Erithacus rubecula). We found that with increasing noise levels, males were more likely to move away from the noise source and changed their singing behaviour. Our results provide the first experimental evidence in a free ranging species, that not merely the presence of noise causes changes in behaviour and distribution, but that the level of noise pollution plays a crucial role as well. Our results have important implications for estimating the impact of infrastructure which differs in the level of noise produced. Thus, governmental planning bodies should not only consider the physical effect on the landscape when assessing the impact of new infrastructure, but also the noise levels emitted, which may reduce the loss of suitable habitats available for animals.

SoundOfTheCity - Continuous noise monitoring for a healthy city

Abstract: Noise pollution is among the leading causes for illness among urban residents. It constitutes a major cause for stress and poor sleep, it reduces life quality while increasing the risk for hypertension, hearing loss and lower cognitive performance. In light of those risks, the European Union mandates the creation of noise contour maps to gather information about the exposure. Those maps however often lack enough granularity to cover all areas of the city and omit large areas from the map. Hence, the public benefit from the provided information remains limited. We present SoundOfTheCity, a project with which we endeavour to put noise measurement into the hand of the citizen. To that end we developed a smart phone application that allows the users to continuously measure the loudness of their environment. The measured data are anonymised and send to a central server where all generated information from voluntary participants on a city scale are aggregated and mapped to a meaningful noise visualisation map. Moreover, the application allows for uploading sound samples, captured from the environment, as well as providing each user with information on their personal exposure to noise. Extrapolating from the current state of such participatory ambient pollution monitoring for health, we propose several questions on the future of such applications. We discuss how such systems may utilize more then just information on the distribution of pollutants, to make health monitoring more relatable to the monitored community.

Living in a noisy world: indirect effects of noise on animal communication

Abstract: Noise is a ubiquitous feature in natural as well as in urban habitats. The presence of noise can have multiple direct and indirect effects on communication. Noise can directly mask signals leading to reduced detection and recognition. Noise also affects internal physiological processes which can influence attention and decision rules and, thus, indirectly affect communication. Also community effects of noise leading to lower densities or different community composition with respect to copying style or personality will affect communication through different communication distances and different daily behavioural routines. All these direct and indirect effects of noise on communication have been well documented but often are treated separately. This review focusses on some of the indirect effects of noise on animal communication, considering spatial responses, attentional effects and differential effects of noise depending on an animal’s characteristics, its personality. It evaluates how noise can indirectly influence communication and, thus, social network structure and processes of sexual and natural selection.

Combined effect of noise and vibration produced by high-speed trains on annoyance in buildings

Abstract: The effects of noise and vibration on annoyance in buildings during the passage of a nearby high-speed train have been investigated in a laboratory experiment with recorded train noise and 20 Hz vibration. The noises included the effects of two types of facade: windows-open and windows-closed. Subjects were exposed to six levels of noise and six magnitudes of vibration, and asked to rate annoyance using an 11-point numerical scale. The experiment consisted of four sessions: (1) evaluation of noise annoyance in the absence of vibration, (2) evaluation of total annoyance from simultaneous noise and vibration, (3) evaluation of noise annoyance in the presence of vibration, and (4) evaluation of vibration annoyance in the absence of noise. The results show that vibration did not influence ratings of noise annoyance, but that total annoyance caused by combined noise and vibration was considerably greater than the annoyance caused by noise alone. The noise annoyance and the total annoyance caused by combined noise and vibration were associated with subject self-ratings of noise sensitivity. Two classical models of total annoyance due to combined noise sources (maximum of the single source annoyance or the integration of individual annoyance ratings) provided useful predictions of the total annoyance caused by simultaneous noise and vibration.

A Review of Wind Turbine Noise Perception, Annoyance and Low Frequency Emission

Abstract: Current literature concerning the perception, annoyance and emission of low-frequency noise from wind turbines are reviewed. Wind turbine noise has been shown to be annoying to people with annoyance related to noise load. Other factors, such as those related to visual, economic and psychological effects, were also shown to affect a person’s annoyance of wind turbine noise. Published infrasound (noise at frequencies less than 20 Hz) measurements show that levels at typical residential set-back distances are too low to be directly audible, but may be perceived via window rattling. On the other hand, low-frequency noise levels, in the frequency range of 20–200 Hz may exceed audibility thresholds and it is postulated they may be correlated with annoyance. A review of general low-frequency noise annoyance studies is presented and highlights the similarities of many wind turbine noise complaints with those due to low-frequency noise. The paper concludes with a suggestion to develop a new methodology that can simultaneously acquire annoyance and noise data at the time a person believes they are annoyed by wind turbine noise.

Test device and test method for active noise reduction headphone

Abstract: The present invention discloses a test device and test method for the noise reduction headphone. The test device comprises: an enclosed cavity, a noise source, a test panel, a measuring microphone and a measure comparison module connected with the measuring microphone. The sound emitted from the noise source is sealed within the enclosed cavity. The test panel can cooperate with the noise reduction headphone to form a coupling cavity in the test. The test panel has a sound guiding hole in the common part with the enclosed cavity for transmitting the sound of the noise source into the interior of the coupling cavity. The test panel also has a mounting hole, and the measuring microphone is mounted on the mourning hole towards the direction of the coupling cavity. The measuring microphone records noise signals before and after the noise reduction function of the noise reduction headphone is activated. The measure comparison module receives the signals recorded these two times by the measuring microphone and performs comparison processing to obtain noise reduction amount of the noise reduction headphone. The technical solution of the present invention solves the problem of noise pollution caused by high-power external noise sources to the surrounding environment during the test process of noise reduction amount of the headphone, meanwhile, no special shielding room is required, and the requirement on test environment is relieved.

Theoretical and experimental investigation on bridge-borne noise under moving high-speed train

Abstract: Bridge-borne noise pollution caused by train-induced bridge vibration has attracted more and more attentions due to its low-frequency characteristic. In order to investigate the numerical simulation technique of bridge-borne noise and noise reduction methods, a simply supported prestressed concrete (PC) box-girder bridge is adopted for study. Based on train-track-bridge interaction theory, the dynamic response of the bridge under a moving high-speed train is calculated in time-domain and assumed as the sound source of bridge-borne noise. Then bridge-borne noise is estimated according to boundary element method (BEM) in frequency-domain. The time-frequency transform is conducted by fast Fourier transformation (FFT). The validity of the numerical simulation technique is verified through comparison with field measurement results. Furthermore, noise reduction methods are proposed and corresponding effects are discussed. Results show that the proposed numerical simulation method is feasible and accurate in assessing bridge-borne noise. The dominant frequencies of bridge vibration and bridge-borne noise range from 40 Hz to125 Hz and from 31.5 Hz to 100 Hz, respectively. The peak frequency of bridge-borne noise near the bottom plate is 63 Hz. Increasing the thickness of deck plate, adjusting the inclination of webs to 0°–12°, strengthening the boundary constraints and adding a longitudinal clapboard are very effective noise control measures.

Effective Noise Control Measures and Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Abstract: In contrast to many other environmental problems, noise pollution continues to grow and is accompanied by an increasing number of complaints from people exposed to the noise. The growth in noise pollution is unsustainable because it involves direct, as well as cumulative, adverse health effects. Due to the ignorance of Nigerians on the fact that there exist a close nexus between noise pollution and sustainable city, little or no attention is paid to the control of noise pollution in Nigeria. This study examines the environmental noise levels of Ilorin metropolis, one of the capital cities in Nigeria. Forty- two (42) different locations throughout Ilorin were selected to establish background noise level, peak noise level and dominant noise sources at these locations. The result of this study shows that the major source of noise in Ilorin metropolis can be attributed to traffic noise. Based on the recommendations of Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health (CEOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), only 6 locations out of 42 are under normally acceptable situation while the noise levels of other areas are not acceptable. Hence, the present status of noise pollution in Ilorin metropolis poses a severe health risk to the residents. This paper addresses the problems of environmental noise pollution in Ilorin metropolis in particular and Nigerian urban areas in general with the implications of implementing its control measures on the sustainability of the urban areas. Among the effective noise control measures discussed in this paper include: noise mapping, technical, planning, behavioural, and educational solutions. The result of this study is useful as reference and guideline for future regulations on noise limit to be implemented for urban areas in Nigeria.

Long-term effects of noise reduction measures on noise annoyance and sleep disturbance: The Norwegian facade insulation study

Abstract: The Norwegian facade insulation study includes one pre-intervention and two post-intervention surveys. The facade-insulating measures reduced indoor noise levels by 7 dB on average. Before the intervention, 43% of the respondents were highly annoyed by noise. Half a year after the intervention, the proportion of respondents who were highly annoyed by road traffic noise had been significantly reduced to 15%. The second post-intervention study (2 yr after the first post-intervention study) showed that the proportion of highly annoyed respondents had not changed since the first post-intervention study. The reduction in the respondents' self-reported sleep disturbances (due to traffic noise) also remained relatively stable from the first to the second post-intervention study. In the control group, there were no statistically significant differences in annoyance between the pre-intervention and the two post-intervention studies. Previous studies of traffic changes have reported that people “overreact” to noise changes. This study indicated that when considering a receiver measure, such as facade insulation, the effect of reducing indoor noise levels could be predicted from exposure-response curves based on previous studies. Thus no evidence of an “overreaction” was found.

Underwater noise from offshore oil production vessels

Abstract: Underwater acoustic recordings of six Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels moored off Western Australia are presented. Monopole source spectra were computed for use in environmental impact assessments of underwater noise. Given that operations on the FPSOs varied over the period of recording, and were sometimes unknown, the authors present a statistical approach to noise level estimation. No significant or consistent aspect dependence was found for the six FPSOs. Noise levels did not scale with FPSO size or power. The 5th, 50th (median), and 95th percentile source levels (broadband, 20 to 2500 Hz) were 188, 181, and 173 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m, respectively.

Mate attraction by male anurans in the presence of traffic noise

Abstract: We previously found that males of two anuran species – Hyla versicolor and Rana clamitans – alter their mating calls in response to traffic noise. To test whether these alterations compensate for an effect of traffic noise on mate attraction, we (1) recorded a male calling at a quiet site; (2) played traffic noise at the same male and recorded its altered call; (3) used these recordings to attract females to a trap at sites either with or without broadcast traffic noise. The calls produced without traffic noise attracted fewer females when they were played at sites with traffic noise than when they were played at sites without noise. However, the calls of the same individuals produced with traffic noise attracted as many females at sites with noise as at sites without noise, and they attracted as many females as did the call of the same male made without noise and played at sites without noise (the ‘natural’ situation). Therefore, for these species, traffic noise does not affect mate attraction; males change their calls to compensate for a potential effect of traffic noise on mate attraction. A third species – Bufo americanus – does not alter its call in response to traffic noise, and its call made in the absence or presence of traffic noise was equally able to attract females in the absence or presence of traffic noise, indicating that traffic noise does not negatively affect mate attraction. Therefore, it appears that traffic noise does not negatively affect mate attraction in these three species of anurans. We suggest that, if our results apply to anurans in general, the previously documented negative effects of roads on anuran populations are likely caused mainly by road mortality. If this is true, road mitigation for anurans should focus mainly on reducing this mortality.

The happiness-reducing costs of noise pollution

Abstract: This analysis examines the costs of everyday residential noise pollution using a series of “happiness regressions.” We control for both the possibility that an unobservable characteristic may cause omitted variable bias, as well as for the possibility of endogeneity bias if “effort” is not adequately taken into account. We find perceived noise pollution to exert a negative and highly significant effect on happiness. We then calculate the required income transfer to compensate for the noise and find the costs of noise pollution to be on the order of €172 per month per household.

Evaluation of environmental noise pollution in abuja, the capital city of nigeria

Abstract: Abuja the capital city of Nigeria has experienced rapid development and high influx of people with the implication of increased generation of noise. Hence the need to evaluate the noise pollution level of the city. Measurement of equivalent noise level was carried out in 35 locations around the city using a CR811C integrated sound level meter. Result showed that the day time mean equivalent noise level of the city ranged from 73.2 dBA to 83.6 dBA. Result also showed that the night time mean equivalent noise level of the city is of good quality as it ranged from 44 dBA to 56.8 dBA. The night time therefore serves as a recovery time for those who are exposed to high noise value during the day. Result further showed that the Central Business District of Abuja has the highest day-night noise value of 82 dBA while the lowest day-night noise level was obtained from Asokoro district with a value of 71 dBA. The average day-night noise level of the City was obtained as 76.4 dBA. It is recommended that those whose daily activities confine them to areas with unhealthy noise level should make sure they have at least 10 hours of recovery time in areas where the sound level is less than 65 dBA. The government is called upon to improve the traffic situation in the city so as to prevent traffic built up in areas with high noise values.

Aircraft noise, health, and residential sorting: evidence from two quasi-experiments.

Abstract: SUMMARY We explore two unexpected changes in flight regulations to estimate the causal effect of aircraft noise on health. Detailed measures of noise are linked with longitudinal data on individual health outcomes based on the exact address information. Controlling for individual heterogeneity and spatial sorting into different neighborhoods, we find that aircraft noise significantly increases sleeping problems and headaches. Models that do not control for such heterogeneity and sorting substantially underestimate the negative health effects, which suggests that individuals self-select into residence based on their unobserved sensitivity to noise. Our study demonstrates that the combination of quasi-experimental variation and panel data is very powerful for identifying causal effects in epidemiological field studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Empennage Noise Shielding Benefits for an Open Rotor Transport

Abstract: NASA sets aggressive, strategic, civil aircraft performance and environmental goals and develops ambitious technology roadmaps to guide its research efforts. NASA has adopted a phased approach for community noise reduction of civil aircraft. While the goal of the near-term first phase focuses primarily on source noise reduction, the goal of the second phase relies heavily on presumed architecture changes of future aircraft. The departure from conventional airplane configurations to designs that incorporate some type of propulsion noise shielding is anticipated to provide an additional 10 cumulative EPNdB of noise reduction. One candidate propulsion system for these advanced aircraft is the open rotor engine. In some planned applications, twin open rotor propulsors are located on the aft fuselage, with the vehicle s empennage shielding some of their acoustic signature from observers on the ground. This study focuses on predicting the noise certification benefits of a notional open rotor aircraft with tail structures shielding a portion of the rotor noise. The measured noise of an open rotor test article--collected with and without an acoustic barrier wall--is the basis of the prediction. The results are used to help validate NASA s reliance on acoustic shielding to achieve the second phase of its community noise reduction goals. The noise measurements are also compared to a popular empirical diffraction correlation often used at NASA to predict acoustic shielding.

Characteristics of the Operational Noise from Full Scale Wave Energy Converters in the Lysekil Project: Estimation of Potential Environmental Impacts

Abstract: Wave energy conversion is a clean electric power production technology. During operation there are no emissions in the form of harmful gases. However there are unsolved issues considering environmental impacts such as: electromagnetism; the artificial reef effect and underwater noise. Anthropogenic noise is increasing in the oceans worldwide and wave power will contribute to this sound pollution in the oceans; but to what extent? The main purpose of this study was to examine the noise emitted by a full scale operating Wave Energy Converter (WEC) in the Lysekil project at Uppsala University in Sweden. A minor review of the hearing capabilities of fish and marine mammals is presented to aid in the conclusions of impact from anthropogenic sound. A hydrophone was deployed to the seabed in the Lysekil research site park at distance of 20 and 40 m away from two operational WECs. The measurements were performed in the spring of 2011. The results showed that the main noise was a transient noise with most of its energy in frequencies below 1 kHz. These results indicate that several marine organisms (fish and mammals) will be able to hear the operating WECs of a distance of at least 20 m.

NASA Glenn's Contributions to Aircraft Engine Noise Research

Abstract: This report reviews all engine noise research conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center over the past 70 years. This report includes a historical perspective of the Center and the facilities used to conduct the research. Major noise research programs are highlighted to show their impact on industry and on the development of aircraft noise reduction technology. Noise reduction trends are discussed, and future aircraft concepts are presented. Since the 1960s, research results show that the average perceived noise level has been reduced by about 20 decibels (dB). Studies also show that, depending on the size of the airport, the aircraft fleet mix, and the actual growth in air travel, another 15 to 17 dB reduction will be required to achieve NASA's long-term goal of providing technologies to limit objectionable noise to the boundaries of an average airport.