Estimation and interpolation of underwater low frequency ambient noise spectrum using artificial neural networks

In this work, estimation of ambient noise spectrum influenced by wind speed and wave height carried out for the frequency range of 500 Hz to 5 kHz using Feed forward Neural Network (FNN) is presented. Ocean ambient noise measurements were made in the shallow waters of Bay of Bengal using a portable data acquisition system with a high sensitivity hydrophone at a depth of 5 m from the surface.100 sets of data covering a rage of wind speeds from 2.5 m/s to 8.5 m/s with approximately 15 sets of data falling within 1 m/s over the range of wind speed were used for training the FNN. The parameter wave height which contributes to the noise producing mechanism is also used for training along with wind speed. The results revealed that the proposed method is useful in the estimation and interpolation of underwater noise spectrum level and hence in simulation for the considered frequency range. These were confirmed by calculating the Mean Squared Error (MSE) between the experimental data and the simulation. As the measurements of the underwater ambient noise level are very difficult in remote oceanic regions, where conditions are often inhospitable, these studies seem to be relevant.     

Acoustic and aerodynamic design and characterization of a small-scale aeroacoustic wind tunnel

The aeroacoustic wind tunnel at Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus is a newly commissioned research facility for the experimental study of sound generation from bodies immersed in a fluid flow. The paper discusses the design criteria for the open jet wind tunnel that provides a maximum wind speed of 72 m/s at continuous operation and may be operated with nozzles of different dimension between 35 cm diameter (circular nozzle) and 12 cm by 14.7 cm (rectangular nozzle). Experiments may be performed either in a reverberant or in an anechoic environment. Both the aerodynamic and the acoustic design of the wind tunnel components are discussed in detail. Background noise measurements in the completed facility revealed very low levels comparable to other wind tunnels. The results of aerodynamic wind tunnel calibration confirmed a uniform flow quality in the jet and a very low axial turbulence intensity which is less than 0.2% for the 35 cm nozzle and less than 0.1% for the other nozzles. A final benchmark is provided by results of successful trailing edge noise measurements on an SD7003 airfoil that are presented and compared to results from the literature.     

海洋环境噪声反演估计海面风速

海洋环境噪声与海面风速高度相关。本文在研究国内近年来测量数据的基础上,给出环境噪声级与风速的关系。提出按风速分段(三段)线性拟合环境噪声与对数风速关系曲线的方法,提出并确定最佳反演频段。在麦岛海域,由实测数据确定了分段拟合参数,获得在 0.1~ 22.6 m/s的风速范围内,由海洋环境噪声估计海面风速的误差在 10%以下的优良结果。     

岛礁海域海洋环境噪声垂直分布和垂直指向性

依据岛礁海域复杂海底地形、海试期间航船分布和实测风速数据,应用射线声传播理论,建立岛礁海域海洋环境噪声三维模型。在海试岛礁海域深海声道条件下,采用射线3D算法,仿真计算了32元垂直测量阵所处265~885 m负声速梯度深度范围内1 kHz风关和50 Hz远处航船海洋环境噪声级垂直分布,以及50 Hz航船海洋环境噪声垂直指向性,并与实测分析进行比较。结果表明,仿真结果与海试实测数据一致性良好。在本例海底起伏、接收点周边存在众多岛礁和海底山的三维环境中,1 kHz风关海洋环境噪声级随深度分布较近于均匀;西南方向较远处航道区海域海底较平坦,航道区至接收阵为缓斜坡海底,50 Hz远处航船海洋环境噪声级随深度有所增加,其噪声垂直指向性无明显水平凹槽。文中建立的岛礁海域海洋环境噪声三维模型,可较好地表征本例岛礁复杂地形海底起伏海域的风关和航船海洋环境噪声级的垂直分布、及航船环境噪声的垂直指向性,实测和仿真的岛礁海域海洋环境噪声相关数据,可供实际应用及相关研究参考。     

Distribution of spectral density for underwater noise in the shelf zone of the Pacific Ocean

The results of measurements for the distribution of spectral density for underwater noise in the shelf zone of the Pacific Ocean 21 km from Shikotan Island at the depth of 130 m within the frequency range 1.9–11000 Hz at the wind speed 0–40 m/s are given. Measurements were conducted within the bands of 1/3- and 1/2-octave filters over six months. In the case of a realization length of 33 min and smaller, the distribution of the instant pressure values for underwater noise can be considered normal. The distribution of deep slow variations for the intensity of underwater noise at all frequencies differed from the normal one. The values for the asymmetry parameter and the coefficient of excess are given for the variation distribution of spectral density for underwater noise.     

Design and performance of an open jet wind tunnel for aero-acoustic measurement

This paper presents the design and performance of an open jet, blow down wind tunnel that was newly commissioned in the anechoic chamber at the ISVR, University of Southampton, UK. This wind tunnel is intended for the measurement of airfoil trailing edge self-noise but can be extended to other aeroacoustic applications. With the primary objectives of achieving acoustically quiet and low turbulence air jet up to 120 m/s through a 0.15 m × 0.45 m nozzle, several novel noise and flow control techniques were implemented in the design. Both the acoustical and aerodynamic performances of the open jet wind tunnel were examined in detail after its fabrication. It is found that the background noise of the facility is adequately low for a wide range of exit jet velocity. The potential core of the free jet is characterized by a low turbulence level of about 0.1%. Benchmark tests by submerging a NACA0012 airfoil with tripped and untripped boundary layers at 0° and 10° angles of attack respectively into the potential core of the free jet were carried out. It was confirmed that the radiating airfoil trailing edge self-noise has levels significantly above the rig noise over a wide range of frequencies. The low noise and low turbulence characteristics of this open jet wind tunnel are comparable to the best facilities in the world, and for its size it is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.     

Noise mapping in urban environments: A Taiwan study

This study analyzed the spatial characteristics of urban environmental noise by using noise maps produced at 345 noise monitoring stations in Tainan, Taiwan. Noise data were collected at varying intervals: morning, afternoon, and evening in both summer and winter. The spatial distributions of the noise levels during each time interval were evaluated and visualized by geographic information systems. The analytical results indicated that the highest and lowest average noise levels were 69.6 dB(A) and 59.3 dB(A) during summer mornings and winter evenings, respectively. Comparison of monitored noise levels with regulatory standards revealed that noise standard violations, which usually occur on summer evenings, are as high as 23 dB(A). Furthermore, the results of noise exposure analysis showed that over 90% of the Tainan City population are exposed to unacceptable noise as defined by US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The findings of this study show that noise maps can be useful for investigating noise in urban environments.     

SODAR study of the boundary layer over moscow for air-pollution application

The 24-hour SODAR measurements of the atmospheric boundary-layer parameters over Moscow were carried out during one month in the summer of 1990 and one month in the winter of 1991 at three points within the city and suburbs. The simultaneous measurements of the concentrations of several pollutants were also carried out at one of these points. The relations between local concentrations of some pollutants and the parameters measured by SODAR (mixing height and wind speed) are revealed. This fact confirms the usefulness of SODAR observations for air-pollution meteorology. The statistics of the boundary-layer parameters in summer and winter seasons as well as the data on their spatial variations over the city were obtained.     

南海深海风生噪声特性分析及其噪声源模型修正

基于2015年秋季南海深海区域43天的观测噪声与同步风速预报数据,研究南海风占主导海洋环境噪声风关特性,并对风生噪声源级公式进行修正。本地风速在3~14 m/s范围内变化时,在频段0.5~1.28 kHz,噪声强度近似正比于风速对数的2倍。据此关系,获得不同风速条件下的风生噪声谱级。将Harrison风生噪声源级公式和海面噪声传输模型结合,构建深海风生噪声数值计算模型,通过求取最优的风生噪声源级公式系数项,使得在风占主导频段和风速范围内实验谱级与数值结果误差平方和最小,对Harrison风生噪声源级公式进行修正,并使其适用频段范围拓宽两倍。最后,利用南海其它区域实验数据检验模型的适用性,结果表明,模型预报噪声级与实验值吻合度较高,可供预报南海风生海洋环境噪声级实际应用参考。     

Broadband flow-induced sound control using plasma actuators

Plasma actuators were used in this work to control flow-induced broadband noise radiated from a bluff body. The model consists of a cylinder and a component (torque link) that is installed on the lee side of the cylinder. The objective is to reduce the broadband noise mainly generated through the impingement of the cylinder wake on the torque link. The flow-structure interactions between the cylinder wake and the torque link are reduced by manipulating the cylinder wake with the externally imposed body force from the plasma actuators, which lead to the attenuation of the broadband noise. The control performance with the plasma actuators is studied in an anechoic chamber facility by examining far-field sound level and near-field acoustic source changes. At a free stream speed of 30 m/s, corresponding to the Reynolds number of 2.1×10⁵, far-field measurements suggested that a reduction of up to 3.2 dB in overall sound pressure level. The near-field beamforming results also show approximately 3 dB reduction in the interested frequency ranges. The physical mechanisms related to broadband noise control were also discussed. This work suggests that plasma actuators offer the potential for solving flow-induced noise control problem at broadband frequencies.     

Minimizing vehicle noise passing the street bumps using Genetic Algorithm

The purpose of this paper is to optimize noise emission level associated with two types of speed reducers for different speeds of a vehicle (20, 40, 60 km/h) by Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Network. The optimization shows that the maximum level of noise is sensitive to speed reducer dimensions. It is reduced by 24 dB(A) by changing the width from 0.6 m to 0.3 m for the height 0.04 m whereas, it is reduced by 32 dB(A) by changing from the height 0.055 m and the width 0.9 m to the height 0.04 m and the width 0.3 m.     

Correlation characteristics of variations of the ambient noise level in the shelf zone of the Pacific Ocean

Results of measuring normalized autocorrelation functions and frequency correlation functions of slow random variations in the ambient noise levels are presented. The measurements were carried out in the shelf zone of the Pacific Ocean, near Shikotan Island, at a depth of 130 m in the frequency range from 0.9 Hz to 11 kHz. The noise level’s variations were fairly synchronous in a wide frequency range. Their autocorrelation interval varied from 11 to 42 h for different frequencies, and the frequency correlation was no smaller than 0.77 within 2 decades. The integral autocorrelation interval of the wind speed’s variations was 14.1 h.     

台风“启德”对南海深海海洋环境噪声特性的影响研究

研究台风“启德”经过南海北部对南海深海海洋环境噪声的影响,表明台风导致的风速增减、降雨强弱以及形成的长波涌浪均会影响海洋环境噪声级的大小变化,海洋环境噪声显著受到台风的影响。相同风级下,台风期间海洋环境噪声级与风速的相关性明显好于非台风期间。分析测量的415 h海洋环境噪声数据与风速、波高的相关性,频率大于300 Hz时,海洋环境噪声级与风速的互相关系数大于0.5,达到中度相关;频率大于630 Hz时,互相关系数介于0.8和0.9之间,达到高度相关;频率大于300 Hz时,海洋环境噪声级与风速的相关性好于海洋环境噪声级与波高的相关性。南海海洋环境噪声10~20 Hz的次声频与风速的相关性差,是因为南海航运繁忙,该频段的海洋环境噪声会受到航船噪声的影响,即使台风期间也不例外。      

Effects of typhoon "KAI-TAK" on deep ocean ambient noise in the South China Sea

By investigating the effects on deep ocean ambient noise of typhoon "KAI-TAK" which passed the north area of the South China Sea,it is shown that the wind speed,the rainfall intensity and the long wave swell caused by typhoon affect the ocean ambient noise significantly.The correlation between the ocean ambient noise and the wind speed during the typhoon is much better than that in the non-typhoon period in the same Beaufort scale.Analysis of the correlation between the 415 h ocean ambient noise measured data and wind speed shows that,when the frequency is greater than 300 Hz,the correlation coefficient between the ocean ambient noise and the wind speed is greater than 0.5,achieving a moderate correlation;when the frequency is greater than 630 Hz,the correlation coefficient is between 0.8 and 0.9,achieving a high degree of correlation.The correlation between the ocean ambient noise and the wind speed is better than that between the ocean ambient noise and the significant wave height when the frequency is greater than 300 Hz.The correlation between the ocean ambient noise and the wind speed in infrasonic band from 10 Hz to 20 Hz is poor in the South China Sea,because the shipping is busy in this sea area and the ocean ambient noise is contaminated by the ship noise even during the typhoon.     

Acoustic analysis of a liquefied petroleum gas-fired pulse combustor

Experimental investigation of acoustic characteristics of a Helmholtz type liquefied petroleum gas-fired pulse combustor is presented. In the experiments, the length of the tail pipe was changed from 1.9 m to 1.3 m by 10 cm intervals. Sound level measurements were taken from the exhaust side (outlet) and air flapper side (inlet) at a distance of 1 m from both sides. With decreasing lengths of the tail pipe, the sound pressure level increased. At the measurements related to the exhaust side, the maximum value of equivalent continuous sound pressure level, LEQ was 96.6 dB when the length of the tailpipe and fundamental frequency were 1.3 m and 63 Hz, respectively. Same kinds of measurements were performed at the air flapper side, but the LEQ value was stronger at the exhaust side than the one at the air flapper side. It was also observed that the effect of the type of gaseous fuel on the acoustic efficiency of the pulse combustor can be neglected when the results of the acoustic efficiencies were compared to those in the literature. In order to compare the accuracy of frequencies measured by the sound level meter, a suitable dynamic pressure transducer and a spectrum analyzer were used to perform amplitude and frequency measurements. The average deviation between the measurements performed by the sound level meter and dynamic pressure transducer was 2.4 Hz (3.8% errors) while the average deviation was 3.8 Hz (6% errors) between the sound level meter and spectrum analyzer.     

The energy and dissipation of turbulent fluctuations of wind velocity and temperature in the boundary layer of the atmosphere

The relationships between the energy of small-scale turbulence and its dissipation rate are studied based on the data of long-term high-frequency measurements of temperature and wind velocity fluctuations in urban area. It is shown that the energy of wind velocity turbulent fluctuations is linearly related to the dissipation rate ɛ. The proportionality coefficient between turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and ɛ is dimensional and does not depend on the stratification of the atmosphere, the Richardson number, or the Monin-Obukhov scale. Measurements in different seasons show that this coefficient can be related to the mean velocity of adiabatic motions (sound speed or air temperature), which enables one to select a more universal constant, γ. A linear relationship between the temperature fluctuations variance (the characteristic of the inner energy of turbulence) and their dissipation rate is also shown. The revealed proportionality is confirmed by measurements in urban and forest conditions, as well as in the surface layer over a flat desert terrain.     

First-time lidar measurement of water vapor flux in a volcanic plume

The CO₂ laser-based lidar ATLAS has been used to study the Stromboli volcano plume. ATLAS measured water vapor concentration in cross-sections of the plume and wind speed at the crater. Water vapor concentration and wind speed were retrieved by differential absorption lidar and correlation technique, respectively. Lidar returns were obtained up to a range of 3 km. The spatial resolution was 15 m and the temporal resolution was 20 s. By combining these measurements, the water vapor flux in the Stromboli volcano plume was found. To our knowledge, it is the first time that lidar retrieves water vapor concentrations in a volcanic plume.     

Evaluation of wheel dampers on an intercity train

Pass-by noise from high-speed trains is one important area that has to be handled in all new train projects. For the new line between Oslo and the Gardemoen Airport which opened in 1998, very stringent requirements were set out regarding external noise. To reach the target it was decided that the train should be equipped with wheel dampers. Two different types of wheel dampers were used on the train; a ring damper was mounted on the wheels of the driven bogies, whilst plate dampers divided into tuned absorber fins were mounted on the wheels of the trailer bogies.During the type testing of the Airport Express Train, additional measurements were performed in order to evaluate the acoustic effect of the plate wheel dampers. Two test series were performed with the same train set; first with the train in standard configuration and secondly with the wheel dampers removed from the second and third bogie. The external noise was measured at 5 and 25 m distance from the centre of the track at speeds ranging from 80 to 200 km/h. The third-octave filtered time histories were analyzed to calculate the effect of the wheel dampers. As expected, there was a significant reduction of 4-6 dB at frequencies above 2000 Hz, but there was also a reduction of 2 dB for frequencies as low as 800 Hz. This reduction was also found in the parts of the time histories when the rail should be dominating. This implies that the wheel dampers also reduce the rail noise. The total rolling noise reduction for the trailer bogie was 3 dB at 200 km/h and 1 dB at 80 km/h. From comparison with TWINS-calculated sound power levels it was estimated that the wheel noise would be reduced by 5 dB and the rail noise would be reduced by 1 dB at 200 km/h.     

Ocean dynamic noise energy flux directivity in the 400 Hz to 700 Hz frequency band

Results of field studies of underwater dynamic noise energy flux directivity at two wind speeds, 6 m/s and 12 m/s, in the 400 Hz to 700 Hz frequency band in the deep open ocean are presented. The measurements were made by a freely drifting telemetric combined system at 500 m depth. Statistical characteristics of the horizontal and vertical dynamic noise energy flux directivity are considered as functions of wind speed and direction. Correlation between the horizontal dynamic noise energy flux direction and that of the wind was determined; a mechanism of the horizontal dynamic noise energy flux generation is related to the initial noise field scattering on ocean surface waves.     

A reduced-scale railway noise barrier's insertion loss and absorption coefficients: comparison of field measurements and predictions

In situ testing determined the insertion loss (IL) and absorption coefficients of a candidate absorptive noise barrier (soundwall) to abate railway noise for residents of Anaheim, CA. A 4000 m barrier is proposed south of the tracks, but residential areas to the north have expressed concerns that barrier reflections will increase their noise exposure. To address these concerns, a 3.66 m high by 14.6 m long demonstration barrier was built in the parking lot of Edison Field, Anaheim, as part of a public open house, thereby allowing for acoustical measurements.Insertion loss (IL) was measured in third-octave bands assuming 1/2-scale construction. The IL for three, scaled railway noise sub-sources (rail/wheel interface, locomotive, and train horn) was measured at six, scaled distances. The highest total, A-weighted IL, after corrections for finite-barrier and point-source speaker effects was 22 dB(A) for rail/wheel noise, 18 dB(A) for locomotive noise, and 20 dB(A) for train horn noise. These results can be compared favourably to IL predictions made using algorithms from the US Federal Rail Administration (FRA) noise assessment guidelines. For the actual barrier installation, shielded residential receivers located south of the project are expected to see their future noise exposures reduced from an unmitigated 78 CNEL to 65 CNEL.Absorption coefficients were measured using time delay spectrometry. At lower frequencies, measured absorption coefficients were notably less than the reverberation room results advertised in the manufacturer's literature, but generally conformed with impedance tube results. At higher frequencies the correspondence between measured absorption coefficients and reverberation room results was much improved. For the actual barrier installation, unshielded residential receivers to the north are expected to experience noise exposure increases of less than 1 dB(A). This factor of increase is consistent with a finding of no impact when assessed using FRA guidelines for allowable increases of noise exposure.