Additivity of simultaneous masking

Simultaneous masking functions (signal level at threshold versus masker level) were obtained for equally intense maskers presented individually and in pairs. The signal was a 2.0-kHz sinusoid. The pairs of maskers were (1) two sinusoids with frequencies 1.9 and 2.1 kHz, (2) two narrow bands of noise (50 Hz wide) centered at 1.9 and 2.1 kHz, (3) two narrow bands of noise (50 Hz wide) centered at 1.8 and 1.9 kHz, and (4) the 1.9-kHz sinusoid combined with the narrow band of noise centered at 2.1 kHz. The pairs of maskers produced anywhere from 10 to 17 dB of masking beyond that predicted from the simple sum of the masking produced by the individual maskers. The amount of this "additional masking" was independent of masker level. Adding a continuous low level background noise reduced the amount of additional masking only slightly (approximately 5 dB). The data are consistent with a model in which the effects of the maskers are summed after undergoing independent compressive transformations.     

Maturation of the traveling-wave delay in the human cochlea

The maturation of the traveling-wave delay in the human cochlea was investigated in 227 subjects ranging in age from 29 weeks conceptional age to 49 years by using frequency specific auditory brain-stem responses (ABRs). The derived response technique was applied to ABRs obtained with click stimuli (presented at a fixed level equal to 60-dB sensation level in normal hearing adults) in the presence of high-pass noise masking (slope 96 dB/oct) to obtain frequency specific responses from octave-wide bands. The estimate of traveling-wave delay was obtained by taking the difference between wave I latencies from adjacent derived bands. It was found that the traveling-wave delay between the octave band with center frequency (CF) of 11.3 kHz and that with CF of 5.7 kHz decreased (about 0.4 ms on average) in exponential fashion with age to reach adult values at 3-6 months of age. This decrease was in agreement with reported data in kitten auditory-nerve fibers. The traveling-wave delays between adjacent octave bands with successive lower CF did not change with age.     

Specification of absorbed-sound power in the ear canal: application to suppression of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions

An insert ear-canal probe including sound source and microphone can deliver a calibrated sound power level to the ear. The aural power absorbed is proportional to the product of mean-squared forward pressure, ear-canal area, and absorbance, in which the sound field is represented using forward (reverse) waves traveling toward (away from) the eardrum. Forward pressure is composed of incident pressure and its multiple internal reflections between eardrum and probe. Based on a database of measurements in normal-hearing adults from 0.22 to 8 kHz, the transfer-function level of forward relative to incident pressure is boosted below 0.7 kHz and within 4 dB above. The level of forward relative to total pressure is maximal close to 4 kHz with wide variability across ears. A spectrally flat incident-pressure level across frequency produces a nearly flat absorbed power level, in contrast to 19 dB changes in pressure level. Calibrating an ear-canal sound source based on absorbed power may be useful in audiological and research applications. Specifying the tip-to-tail level difference of the suppression tuning curve of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions in terms of absorbed power reveals increased cochlear gain at 8 kHz relative to the level difference measured using total pressure.     

The influence of systematic primary-tone level variation L2-L1 on the acoustic distortion product emission 2f1-f2 in normal human ears

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of primary-tone level variation, L2--L1, on the amplitude of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The DPOAE at the frequency 2f1--f2 (f2 greater than f1) was measured in 20 ears of ten normally hearing subjects. Acoustic distortion products were generated by primaries f1 and f2 with geometric mean frequencies of 1, 2, and 4 kHz. The f2/f1 ratios were 1.25 (1 kHz), 1.23 (2 kHz), and 1.21 (4 kHz). The primary-tone level L1 was kept constant at either 65 or 75 dB SPL while the second primary-tone level L2 was varied between 20 and 90 dB SPL in 5-dB steps. The level differences L2--L1 generating maximal DPOAE amplitudes depended on L1 and on the geometric mean frequency of f1 and f2. There were large interindividual differences. Overall, the L2--L1 evoking maximal mean DPOAE amplitudes was --10 dB for geometric mean frequencies of 1 and 2 kHz with both L1 = 65 dB SPL and L1 = 75 dB SPL. For 4 kHz, L2-L1 was --5 dB with L1 = 65 dB SPL and 0 dB with L1 = 75 dB SPL. The mean slopes of the DPOAE growth functions in the initial linearly increasing portions were steeper at higher stimulus frequencies, increasing from 0.52 at 1 kHz to 0.72 at 4 kHz for L1 = 65 dB SPL and from 0.48 at 1 kHz to 0.72 at 4 kHz for L1 = 75 dB SPL.     

Intensity discrimination of Gaussian-windowed tones: indications for the shape of the auditory frequency-time window.

The just-noticeable difference in intensity jnd(I) was measured for 1-kHz tones with a Gaussian-shaped envelope as a function of their spectro-temporal shape. The stimuli, with constant energy and a constant product of bandwidth and duration, ranged from a long-duration narrow-band "tone" to a short-duration broadband "click." The jnd(I) was measured in three normal-hearing listeners at sensation levels of 0, 10, 20, and 30 dB in 35 dB(A) SPL pink noise. At intermediate sensation levels, jnd(I) depends on the spectro-temporal shape: at the extreme shapes (tones and clicks), intensity discrimination performance is best, whereas at intermediate shapes the jnd(I) is larger. Similar results are observed at a higher overall sound level, and at a higher carrier frequency. The maximum jnd(I) is observed for stimuli with an effective bandwidth of about 1/3 octave and an effective duration of 4 ms at 1 kHz (1 ms at 4 kHz). A generalized multiple-window model is proposed that assumes that the spectro-temporal domain is partitioned into "internal" auditory frequency-time windows. The model predicts that intensity discrimination thresholds depend upon the number of windows excited by a signal: jnd(I) is largest for stimuli covering one window.     

Level discrimination of frozen and random noise

This paper examines how the difference limen for level, delta L, is affected by stimulus bandwidth and variability. The delta L's were measured in three normal listeners using an adaptive two-interval, forced-choice procedure. The 30-ms stimuli were a 3-kHz tone and nine noise bands with half-power bandwidths ranging from 50 Hz-12 kHz. Except for the 12-kHz bandwidth, which was a low-pass noise, the noise bands were centered at 3 kHz. The delta L's were measured for both frozen and random noises presented at 30, 60, or 90 dB SPL overall. For frozen noises, the same sample of noise was presented throughout a block of 50 trials; for the random noises, different samples of noise were used in each interval of the trials. Results show that the delta L's are higher for random than for frozen noises at narrow bandwidths, but not at wide bandwidths. The delta L's for frozen narrow-band noises decrease with increasing level and are similar to those for the pure tone, whereas the delta L's for wideband noises are only slightly smaller at 90 than at 30 dB SPL. An unexpected finding is that the delta L's are larger at 60 than at 30 dB SPL for both frozen and random noises with bandwidths greater than one critical band. The effect of bandwidth varies with level: The delta L's decrease with increasing bandwidth at low levels, but are nearly independent of bandwidth at 90 dB SPL. The interaction of bandwidth and level is consistent with the multiband excitation-pattern model, but the nonmonotonic behavior of delta L as a function of level suggests modifications to the model.     

Temporary threshold shifts in humans exposed to octave bands of noise for 16 to 24 hours.

Groups of human subjects were exposed in a diffuse sound field for 16--24 h to an octave-band noise centered at 4, 2, 1, or 0.5 kHz. Sound-pressure levels were varied on different exposure occasions. At specified times during an exposure, the subject was removed from the noise, auditory sensitivity was measured, and the subject was returned to the noise. Temporary threshold shifts (TTS) increased for about 8 h and then reached a plateau or asymptote. The relation between TTS and exposure duration can be described by a simple exponential function with a time constant of 2.1 h. In the frequency region of greatest loss, threshold shifts at asymptote increased about 1.7 dB for every 1 dB increase in the level of the noise above a critical level. Critical levels were empirically estimated to be 74.0 dB SPL at 4 kHz. 78 dB at 2 kHz, and 82 dB at 1 and 0.5 kHz. Except for the noise centered at 4.0 kHz, threshold shifts were maximal about 1/2 octave above the center frequency of the noise. A smaller second maximum was observed also at 7.0 kHz for the noise centered at 2.0 kHz, at 6.0 kHz for the noise centered at 1.0 kHz, and at 5.5 kHz for the noise centered at 0.5 kHz. After termination of the exposure, recovery to within 5 dB of pre-exposure thresholds was achieved within 24 h or less. Recovery can be described by a simple exponential function with a time constant of 7.1 h. The frequency contour defined by critical levels matches almost exactly the frequency contour defined by the E-weighting network.     

水下大功率电磁式脉冲声源设计与研究

建立了大功率电磁式脉冲换能器的时变振动数学模型,利用有限差分方法得到了该模型的数值解。分析了声源的电磁参数和物理结构对辐射声压大小的影响,确定了最优的参数。设计和制作了电磁式脉冲声源,进行了性能测试。结果表明,电容充电6 kV情况下距离换能器1 m处峰值声压226 dB,中心频率25 kHz,与模型结果(峰值声压225 dB,中心频率24.5 kHz)吻合较好。进而证明了本文提出的时变振动模型可以为设计和优化大功率电磁式脉冲声源提供理论指导。      

The effects of sensory hearing loss on cochlear filter times estimated from auditory brainstem response latencies.

Derived-band auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were obtained in 43 normal-hearing and 80 cochlear hearing-impaired individuals using clicks and high-pass noise masking. The response times across the cochlea [the latency difference between wave V's of the 5.7- and 1.4-kHz center frequency (CF) derived bands] were calculated for five levels of click stimulation ranging from 53 to 93 dB p.-p.e. SPL (23 to 63 dB nHL) in 10-dB steps. Cochlear response times appeared to shorten significantly with hearing loss, especially when the average pure tone (1 to 8 kHz) hearing loss exceeded 30 dB. Examination of derived-band latencies indicates that this shortening is due to a dramatic decrease of wave V latency in the lower CF derived band. Estimates of cochlear filter times in terms of the number of periods to maximum response (Nmax) were calculated from derived-band latencies corrected for gender-dependent cochlear transport and neural conduction times. Nmax decreased as a function of hearing loss, especially for the low CF derived bands. The functions were similar for both males and females. These results are consistent with broader cochlear tuning due to peripheral hearing loss. Estimating filter response times from ABR latencies enhances objective noninvasive diagnosis and allows delineation of the differential effects of pathology on the underlying cochlear mechanisms involved in cochlear transport and filter build-up times.     

Behavioral responses of two captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to a continuous 50 kHz tone

At present, the fundamental frequencies of signals of most commercially available acoustic alarms to deter small cetaceans are below 20 kHz, but it is not well ascertained whether higher frequencies have a deterrent effect on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Two captive bottlenose dolphins housed in a floating pen were subjected to a continuous pure tone at 50 kHz with a source level of 160 ± 2 dB (re 1 μPa, rms). The behavioral responses of dolphins were judged by comparing surfacing distance relative to the sound source, number of surfacings, and number of echolocation clicks produced, during forty 15 min baseline periods with forty 15 min test periods (four sessions per day, 40 sessions in total). On all 10 study days, surfacing distance and the number of surfacings increased while click production decreased during broadcasts of test sound. The avoidance threshold sound pressure level for a continuous 50 kHz tone for the bottlenose dolphins, in the context of this study, was estimated to be 144 ± 2 dB (re 1 μPa, rms). The results indicated that a continuous 50 kHz tonal signal can deter bottlenose dolphins from an area.     

A simplified field method for measuring the aggregate adverse deviation of partitions

This paper describes the investigation of a simplified field method of measuring the aggregate adverse deviation of a partition. In this study, the source spectrum in the source room was assumed to be flat over the sixteen one-third octave frequency bands of 100 Hz to 3150 Hz. Measurement of the overall level difference in dB(A) is proposed.Using real transmission loss data, it was found that there was a linear relationship between the aggregate adverse deviation and the level difference in dB(A). The correlation is very good. The investigations show that a simplified method can be developed to rate partitions according to the criterion specified in the British building regulations. The simplified field method can also be applied to situations which use a different grading curve such as the grading curve for flats in Scotland.     

An autocorrelation model with place dependence to account for the effect of harmonic number on fundamental frequency discrimination

Fundamental frequency (f0) difference limens (DLs) were measured as a function of f0 for sine- and random-phase harmonic complexes, bandpass filtered with 3-dB cutoff frequencies of 2.5 and 3.5 kHz (low region) or 5 and 7 kHz (high region), and presented at an average 15 dB sensation level (approximately 48 dB SPL) per component in a wideband background noise. Fundamental frequencies ranged from 50 to 300 Hz and 100 to 600 Hz in the low and high spectral regions, respectively. In each spectral region, f0 DLs improved dramatically with increasing f0 as approximately the tenth harmonic appeared in the passband. Generally, f0 DLs for complexes with similar harmonic numbers were similar in the two spectral regions. The dependence of f0 discrimination on harmonic number presents a significant challenge to autocorrelation (AC) models of pitch, in which predictions generally depend more on spectral region than harmonic number. A modification involving a "lag window"is proposed and tested, restricting the AC representation to a limited range of lags relative to each channel's characteristic frequency. This modified unitary pitch model was able to account for the dependence of f0 DLs on harmonic number, although this correct behavior was not based on peripheral harmonic resolvability.     

Auditory intensity discrimination in the chinchilla

A positive reinforcement conditioning procedure was used to train chinchillas to respond to intensity differences between successively occurring tone bursts. Intensity difference limens were measured at 0.5, 1, 4, and 8 kHz at five intensities ranging from 10- to 55-dB sensation level. The intensity difference limen decreased from approximately 8 dB near threshold to approximately 3.5 dB at the highest level. The intensity difference limens for the chinchilla were considerably larger than those for humans as well as several other mammals; however, the results were similar to those obtained for the parakeet. The present results from intensity discrimination appeared to be related to previous data for the discrimination of amplitude modulated noise.     

High-frequency audiometric assessment of a young adult population

The hearing thresholds of 37 young adults (18-26 years) were measured at 13 frequencies (8, 9,10,...,20 kHz) using a newly developed high-frequency audiometer. All subjects were screened at 15 dB HL at the low audiometric frequencies, had tympanometry within normal limits, and had no history of significant hearing problems. The audiometer delivers sound from a driver unit to the ear canal through a lossy tube and earpiece providing a source impedance essentially equal to the characteristic impedance of the tube. A small microphone located within the earpiece is used to measure the response of the ear canal when an impulse is applied at the driver unit. From this response, a gain function is calculated relating the equivalent sound-pressure level of the source to the SPL at the medial end of the ear canal. For the subjects tested, this gain function showed a gradual increase from 2 to 12 dB over the frequency range. The standard deviation of the gain function was about 2.5 dB across subjects in the lower frequency region (8-14 kHz) and about 4 dB at the higher frequencies. Cross modes and poor fit of the earpiece to the ear canal prevented accurate calibration for some subjects at the highest frequencies. The average SPL at threshold was 23 dB at 8 kHz, 30 dB at 12 kHz, and 87 dB at 18 kHz. Despite the homogeneous nature of the sample, the younger subjects in the sample had reliably better thresholds than the older subjects. Repeated measurements of threshold over an interval as long as 1 month showed a standard deviation of 2.5 dB at the lower frequencies (8-14 kHz) and 4.5 dB at the higher frequencies.     

Toneburst-evoked auditory brainstem response in a leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx

Toneburst-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded in a captive subadult male leopard seal. Three frequencies from 1 to 4 kHz were tested at sound levels from 68 to 122 dB peak equivalent sound pressure level (peSPL). Results illustrate brainstem activity within the 1-4 kHz range, with better hearing sensitivity at 4 kHz. As is seen in human ABR, only wave V is reliably identified at the lower stimulus intensities. Wave V is present down to levels of 82 dB peSPL in the right ear and 92 dB peSPL in the left ear at 4 kHz. Further investigations testing a wider frequency range on seals of various sex and age classes are required to conclusively report on the hearing range and sensitivity in this species.     

Threshold received sound pressure levels of single 1-2 kHz and 6-7 kHz up-sweeps and down-sweeps causing startle responses in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Mid-frequency and low-frequency sonar systems produce frequency-modulated sweeps which may affect harbor porpoises. To study the effect of sweeps on behavioral responses (specifically "startle" responses, which we define as sudden changes in swimming speed and/or direction), a harbor porpoise in a large pool was exposed to three pairs of sweeps: a 1-2 kHz up-sweep was compared with a 2-1 kHz down-sweep, both with and without harmonics, and a 6-7 kHz up-sweep was compared with a 7-6 kHz down-sweep without harmonics. Sweeps were presented at five spatially averaged received levels (mRLs; 6 dB steps; identical for the up-sweep and down-sweep of each pair). During sweep presentation, startle responses were recorded. There was no difference in the mRLs causing startle responses for up-sweeps and down-sweeps within frequency pairs. For 1-2 kHz sweeps without harmonics, a 50% startle response rate occurred at mRLs of 133 dB re 1 μPa; for 1-2 kHz sweeps with strong harmonics at 99 dB re 1 μPa; for 6-7 kHz sweeps without harmonics at 101 dB re 1 μPa. Low-frequency (1-2 kHz) active naval sonar systems without harmonics can therefore operate at higher source levels than mid-frequency (6-7 kHz) active sonar systems without harmonics, with similar startle effects on porpoises.     

具有大指向性开角及高发射电压响应的发射换能器

应用复合变幅杆及夹心式换能器结构,研制了一种指向性开角较大且发射电压响应较高的发射换能器。应用有限元方法对换能器的工作频率,发射电压响应及指向性进行了理论计算。并与实验结果进行了比较,结果较吻合。本文研制的换能器工作频率为75.6kHz,发射电压响应级达到1 56dB(基准值1V/μPa),-3dB发射指向性开角100°     

宽带宽波束纵向水声换能器研究

本文通过设计纵向水声换能器辐射头的形状及利用其弯曲振动模,实现宽带宽波束辐射特性,采用后质量块的嵌套结构有效缩小了换能器的长度。利用ANSYS有限元软件模拟了小型宽带宽波束纵向水声换能器的电声特性。研制了换能器样品,实现了与有限元模拟计算结果相一致的电声参数:谐振频率14kHz,最大发射电压响应141．9dB,-3dB带宽为11．3～18．7kHz,-3dB带通Q值为1．9,在14kHz频率下波束宽度为132°,比通常纵向换能器波束宽度宽23％。     

Auditory filter shapes in subjects with unilateral and bilateral cochlear impairments

The shape of the auditory filter was estimated at three center frequencies, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz, for five subjects with unilateral cochlear impairments. Additional measurements were made at 1.0 kHz using one subject with a unilateral impairment and six subjects with bilateral impairments. Subjects were chosen who had thresholds in the impaired ears which were relatively flat as a function of frequency and ranged from 15 to 70 dB HL. The filter shapes were estimated by measuring thresholds for sinusoidal signals (frequency f) in the presence of two bands of noise, 0.4 f wide, one above and one below f. The spectrum level of the noise was 50 dB (re: 20 mu Pa) and the noise bands were placed both symmetrically and asymmetrically about the signal frequency. The deviation of the nearer edge of each noise band from f varied from 0.0 to 0.8 f. For the normal ears, the filters were markedly asymmetric for center frequencies of 1.0 and 2.0 kHz, the high-frequency branch being steeper. At 0.5 kHz, the filters were more symmetric. For the impaired ears, the filter shapes varied considerably from one subject to another. For most subjects, the lower branch of the filter was much less steep than normal. The upper branch was often less steep than normal, but a few subjects showed a near normal upper branch. For the subjects with unilateral impairments, the equivalent rectangular bandwidth of the filter was always greater for the impaired ear than for the normal ear at each center frequency. For three subjects at 0.5 kHz and one subject at 1.0 kHz, the filter had too little selectivity for its shape to be determined.     

Gender differences in children's singing voices: acoustic analyses and results of a listening test

Ultrasonic coded transmitters (UCTs) producing frequencies of 69-83 kHz are used increasingly to track fish and invertebrates in coastal and estuarine waters. To address concerns that they might be audible to marine mammals, acoustic properties of UCTs were measured off Mission Beach, San Diego, and at the U.S. Navy TRANSDEC facility. A regression model fitted to VEMCO UCT data yielded an estimated source level of 147 dB re 1 μPa SPL @ 1 m and spreading constant of 14.0. Based on TRANSDEC measurements, five VEMCO 69 kHz UCTs had source levels ranging from 146 to 149 dB re 1 μPa SPL @ 1 m. Five Sonotronics UCTs (69 kHz and 83 kHz) had source levels ranging from 129 to 137 dB re 1 μPa SPL @ 1 m. Transmitter directionality ranged from 3.9 to 18.2 dB. Based on propagation models and published data on marine mammal auditory psychophysics, harbor seals potentially could detect the VEMCO 69 kHz UCTs at ranges between 19 and >200 m, while odontocetes potentially could detect them at much greater ranges. California sea lions were not expected to detect any of the tested UCTs at useful ranges.