Acoustic communication in two freshwater gobies: ambient noise and short-range propagation in shallow streams

Noise is an important theoretical constraint on the evolution of signal form and sensory performance. In order to determine environmental constraints on the communication of two freshwater gobies Padogobius martensii and Gobius nigricans, numerous noise spectra were measured from quiet areas and ones adjacent to waterfalls and rapids in two shallow stony streams. Propagation of goby sounds and waterfall noise was also measured. A quiet window around 100 Hz is present in many noise spectra from noisy locations. The window lies between two noise sources, a low-frequency one attributed to turbulence, and a high-frequency one (200-500 Hz) attributed to bubble noise from water breaking the surface. Ambient noise from a waterfall (frequencies below 1 kHz) attenuates as much as 30 dB between 1 and 2 m, after which values are variable without further attenuation (i.e., buried in the noise floor). Similarly, courtship sounds of P. martensii attenuate as much as 30 dB between 5 and 50 cm. Since gobies are known to court in noisy as well as quiet locations in these streams, their acoustic communication system (sounds and auditory system) must be able to cope with short-range propagation dictated by shallow depths and ambient noise in noisy locations.     

Spatial coherences of the sound pressure and the particle velocity in underwater ambient noise

The spatial coherences were investigated between the sound pressure and the three orthogonal components of the particle velocity in underwater ambient noise. Based on the ray theory, integral expression was derived for the spatial coherence matrix of the sound pressure and the particle velocity in a stratified ocean with dipole noise sources homogenously distributed on the surface. The integrand includes a multiplying factor of the vertical directivity of the noise intensity, and the layered ocean environment affects the spatial coherences via this directivity factor. For a shallow water environment and a semi-infinite homogenous medium, the coherence calculation results were given. It was showed that the sound speed profile and the sea bottom could not be neglected in determining the spatial coherences of the ambient noise vector field.     

一种矢量水听器基阵模拟器的设计

矢量水听器的每个阵元同时测量声场中声矢量和质点振速的3个分量,相对于声压水听器阵来说,矢量阵获取声场中更多的信息。利用矢量阵所获得速度场的信息可以去除目标方位估计中的 180°模糊。模拟器可以模拟实际海洋环境中目标的辐射特性和噪声特性,应用模拟器可以有效地缩短声纳的研制周期。本文提出一种矢量水听器基阵模拟器的设计方案,该方案解决了矢量阵中宽带信号的90°移相问题、时延精确控制问题和宽带噪声的谱状控制问题。     

The effects of the ocean surface wave spectrum on low frequency ambient noise in deep water

An ocean surface wave spectrum which is used for low frequency ambient noise in deep water is proposed. It explains the mechanism of low frequency ambient noise from the theoretical relation between the spectrum of sound pressure and wave. Combining the surface wave spectrum and local wind speed in deep water, a theoretical expression of low frequency ambient noise is obtained with wave generated noise theory. Simulation results show that the wave spectrum is crucial to the intensity and the spectral slope of radiated noise spectrum,and the theoretical noise spectrum could be used to predict the ambient noise in deep water.The predicting results axe verified through the experimental data recorded by an ocean bottom seismometer that was deployed on the floor of deep water in April 2016. It is observed that the statistical noise levels from the experimental data for frequencies from 1 Hz to 100 Hz are larger than 70 dB, and the low frequency ambient noise spectrum follows the shape of inverted"N",the valley of noise spectrum is at 3-4 Hz, and the noise intensity is 70 dB. The peak of noise spectrum is at 50 Hz, and the noise intensity is 92 dB. The correlation coefficient is 0.95 between the model spectrum and measured data.     

海面波浪谱对深海低频环境噪声的影响

提出了一种适用于深海低频环境噪声的波浪谱,通过声压谱和波浪谱的理论关系,分析了深海低频噪声在百赫兹以下的谱特征,解释了不同频段噪声谱的主要产生机理。将深海传播条件下海面波浪谱与海面风速相结合,利用波浪发声理论得到一种低频海洋环境噪声理论表示方法。仿真结果表明,波浪谱决定着辐射噪声谱的强度和斜率,本模型得到的理论噪声谱可以对低频海洋环境噪声进行预报。2016年的深海实验观测数据分析显示,统计的环境噪声谱级在1 Hz至100 Hz频段范围内大于70 dB,并且噪声谱在低频段呈倒“N”型,在34 Hz处为噪声谱的谷值,噪声级为70 dB,在50 Hz处为噪声谱的峰值,噪声级为92 dB,通过理论计算和实验对比,相关系数为0.95,理论结果和实验测量对比结果符合较好。      

Experiments on the active control of transformer noise

This paper describes an experiment which demonstrates how a useful degree of active noise control can be achieved with ordinary sound amplification and reproduction equipment. A loudspeaker positioned next to a large pair of noisy electricity transformers was made to mimic their noise but in antiphase. The aim of the study was to investigate the degree to which the “antisound” would cancel a disturbing noise heard in a nearby office. Some 20 decibels of control was achieved very easily for the 100 Hz component of the noise but the higher frequency sound could only be controlled in localized patches. The experiment suggests that sounds of discrete frequencies of less than 100 Hz are relatively easily controlled with unsophisticated audio equipment, but that useful control of higher frequency elements is much more difficult.     

脉冲激光烧蚀碲镉汞材料的等离子体发射谱

脉冲激光辐照处于不同背景气压下的Hg0.8Cd0.2Te材料表面,用时间和空间分辨诊断技术探测了激光照射后产生的等离子体发射谱,根据所获得的飞行时间谱测量了等离子体中粒子的出射速度,结果表明粒子速度随着出射距离的增加迅速减小,且背景气压对出射速度有很大的影响,而激光能量对粒子速度的影响不大。另外根据谱线的展宽计算了等离子体中的电子密度,结果表明,电子密度在激光辐照样品后的短时间内迅速减小,且电子密度最大的位置不是出现在靶的表面而是在距表面一定距离处。     

Sounds, source levels, and associated behavior of humpback whales, southeast Alaska

Humpback whales in Southeast Alaskan waters produced five categories of sounds: moans, grunts, pulse trains, blowhole-associated sounds, and surface impacts. Frequencies (Hz) of moans and grunts were 20-1900. Major energy in low-frequency pulse trains was in a band of 25-80 Hz with pulse duration of 300-400 ms. Blowhole-associated sounds, recorded as transiting whales encountered one another, were of two types: shrieks, 555-2000 Hz, and trumpetlike horn blasts with fundamental at 414 Hz (median). Pulses and spread spectrum noise were associated with gas bubble formation and explosive bursts, respectively, in connection with spiral feeding maneuvers. Surface impacts resulted from fluke or flipper slaps in sequences of 3-21 sounds. Source levels ranged from 162 (low-frequency pulse trains) to 192 dB (surface impacts), re: 1 microPa, 1 m. Songs, commonly heard on winter breeding grounds, were absent from our recordings. Feeding and perhaps certain other whale activities can be monitored based on sound production.     

Shielding against noise interfering with quantitation of insect infestations by acoustic detection systems in grain elevators

Acoustic devices used to detect hidden insect infestations must be shielded from noise in most practical applications. One device developed specifically for use in a noisy environment, the Acoustic Location ‘Fingerprinting’ Insect Detector (ALFID), counts the numbers of insects present in grain samples from shipments being graded for export at commercial grain elevators. This report considers the performance of ALFID's noise-shielding components, which include an enclosure for passive reduction of ambient noise, and an electronic system for active detection and masking of sounds originating outside the grain sample container. Sound pressure levels (SPLs) of ambient noise are reduced inside the enclosure by 60–90 dB at frequencies between 1 and 10 kHz, with a reduction of ~6.5 dB per octave (frequency doubling). The active noise-masking system protects ALFID from loud ambient sounds not sufficiently attenuated by the enclosure. If the output from one of four sensors mounted on the outside of the grain sample container rises above a preset amplitude threshold, a signal is triggered that inhibits acquisition of insect sound data from sensors inside the container. In tests of the complete ALFID system at a grain elevator with ambient noise of 73 ± W dB re 20 μPa SPL, the mean rate of noise-mask triggering was 5.5 s⁻¹, inhibiting acquisition of insect sounds for only 3.9% of the total testing period. This level of performance is sufficient to enable successful operation of ALFID under such noise conditions.     

噪声源非均匀分布海洋环境噪声水平声能流理论分析

研究水平非均匀分布噪声源所产生的各向异性海洋环境噪声场声能流。提出一种混合型非均匀分布噪声源模型,理论分析并数值计算了此模型情况下的环境噪声场水平声能流。结果表明:非均匀分布噪声源引起的海洋环境噪声场具有显著非零平均水平声能流;不同接收点的水平声能流明显不同;其幅度和方向取决于各个局部海域不等强度声源产生的合成噪声声能流矢量和。研究了两接收点间噪声的声压和振速水平分量、振速水平分量归一化相关系数随两接收点间距的关系,各量之间表现出较强相关性,为分析水下矢量声场目标探测技术性能提供理论依据。      

Noise-impact estimates per FTA and APTA criteria

In a recent paper, light-rail line noise exposures were predicted both in terms of maximum pass-by sound levels for comparison to APTA criteria and day-night average sound levels for comparison to FTA criteria. For the local land uses and ambient noise conditions of the project, the distances for the unmitigated pass-by noise exposures to attenuate to the APTA and FTA criteria limits were estimated and the numbers of included dwellings counted. The results found that the FTA impact-onset (i.e., “some-impact”) criterion curve yielded significantly greater noise exposed areas while the APTA criteria yielded results between those of the FTA “some”- and “severe”-impact curves. However, those results only applied to the specific project under evaluation. This paper attempts to extend and generalize the comparison by parametric computation of exposed areas using both the FTA and APTA procedures. Predicted exposures in this paper are compared as a function of background ambient sound levels, type of land use impacted, numbers of daytime and nighttime operations, and train pass-by maximum sound levels. At very low background ambient sound levels, FTA tended to predict the greatest exposure, while in very noisy environments, APTA predicted more exposure. APTA predicted more exposure with low numbers of daily and/or nighttime operations, and FTA predicted more exposure with high numbers, but the comparative exposures were strongly dependent upon background ambient sound level and land use. For train pass-by maximum sound levels, APTA tended to show more exposure for very quiet pass-bys and to be intermediate to FTA/some and FTA/severe for noisier events—with the comparative exposures strongly dependent upon background ambient and land use.     

Acoustic phenomena observed in lung auscultation

The results of studying respiratory noise at the chest wall by the method of acoustic intensimetry reveal the presence of frequency components with different signs of the real and imaginary parts of the cross spectrum obtained for the responses of the receivers of vibratory displacement and dynamic force. An acoustic model is proposed to explain this difference on the basis of the hypothesis that the contributions of both air-borne and structure-borne sound are significant in the transmission of respiratory noise to the chest wall. It is shown that, when considered as an acoustic channel for the basic respiratory noise, the respiratory system of an adult subject has two resonances: in the frequency bands within 110–150 and 215–350 Hz. For adults in normal condition, the air-borne component of the basic respiratory noise predominates in the region 100–300 Hz in the lower parts of lungs. At forced respiration of healthy adults, the sounds of vesicular respiration are generated by the turbulent air flow in the 11th-through 13th-generation bronchi, and the transmission of these sounds to the chest wall in normal condition is mainly through air and is determined by the resonance of the vibratory system formed by the elasticity of air in the respiratory ducts of lungs and by the surface mass density of the chest wall. It is demonstrated that the distance from the chest wall to the sources of structure-borne additional respiratory noise, namely, wheezing with frequencies above 300 Hz, can be estimated numerically from the ratio between the real and imaginary parts of the cross spectrum on the assumption that the source is of the quadrupole type.     

Acoustic vibration of the amphibian eardrum studied by white noise analysis and holographic interferometry

The motion of the amphibian eardrum under free-field acoustic stimulation was investigated using time-averaged holography. We show that the amplitude is linearly related to sound pressure up to +/- 1000 nm. The frequency response of the eardrum shows broad resonance characteristics with a main peak between 1200-2200 Hz. The velocity of the tympanic membrane's motion at its resonance frequency matches the acoustic velocity of air particles. The resonance characteristics of the eardrum are also revealed by white noise stimulation. The power spectrum obtained by Fourier transformation of the autocorrelation of the response to noise resembles closely that obtained by holography.     

Broadband time-reversing array retrofocusing in noisy environments

Acoustic time reversal is a promising technique for spatial and temporal focusing of sound in unknown environments. Acoustic time reversal can be implemented with an array of transducers that listens to a remote sound source and then transmits a time-reversed version of what was heard. In a noisy environment, the performance of such a time-reversing array (TRA) will be degraded because the array will receive and transmit noise, and the intended signal may be masked by ambient noise at the retrofocus location. This article presents formal results for the signal-to-noise ratio at the intended focus (SNRf) for TRAs that receive and send finite-duration broadband signals in noisy environments. When the noise is homogeneous and uncorrelated, and a broadcast power limitation sets the TRA's electronic amplification, the formal results can be simplified to an algebraic formula that includes the characteristics of the signal, the remote source, the TRA, and the noisy environment. Here, SNRf is found to be proportional to the product of the signal bandwidth and the duration of the signal pulse after propagation through the environment. Using parabolic-equation propagation simulations, the formal results for SNRf are illustrated for a shallow water environment at source-array ranges of 1 to 40 km and bandwidths from several tens of Hz to more than 500 Hz for a signal center frequency of 500 Hz. Shallow-water TRA noise rejection is predicted to be superior to that possible in free space because TRAs successfully exploit multipath-propagation.     

Effect of source spectrum on sound localization in an everyday reverberant room

Two experiments explored how frequency content impacts sound localization for sounds containing reverberant energy. Virtual sound sources from thirteen lateral angles and four distances were simulated in the frontal horizontal plane using binaural room impulse responses measured in an everyday office. Experiment 1 compared localization judgments for one-octave-wide noise centered at either 750 Hz (low) or 6000 Hz (high). For both band-limited noises, perceived lateral angle varied monotonically with source angle. For frontal sources, perceived locations were similar for low- and high-frequency noise; however, for lateral sources, localization was less accurate for low-frequency noise than for high-frequency noise. With increasing source distance, judgments of both noises became more biased toward the median plane, an effect that was greater for low-frequency noise than for high-frequency noise. In Experiment 2, simultaneous presentation of low- and high-frequency noises yielded performance that was less accurate than that for high-frequency noise, but equal to or better than for low-frequency noise. Results suggest that listeners perceptually weight low-frequency information heavily, even in reverberant conditions where high-frequency stimuli are localized more accurately. These findings show that listeners do not always optimally adjust how localization cues are integrated over frequency in reverberant settings.     

Random particle methods applied to broadband fan interaction noise

Predicting broadband fan noise is key to reduce noise emissions from aircraft and wind turbines. Complete CFD simulations of broadband fan noise generation remain too expensive to be used routinely for engineering design. A more efficient approach consists in synthesizing a turbulent velocity field that captures the main features of the exact solution. This synthetic turbulence is then used in a noise source model. This paper concentrates on predicting broadband fan noise interaction (also called leading edge noise) and demonstrates that a random particle mesh method (RPM) is well suited for simulating this source mechanism. The linearized Euler equations are used to describe sound generation and propagation. In this work, the definition of the filter kernel is generalized to include non-Gaussian filters that can directly follow more realistic energy spectra such as the ones developed by Liepmann and von Kármán. The velocity correlation and energy spectrum of the turbulence are found to be well captured by the RPM. The acoustic predictions are successfully validated against Amiet’s analytical solution for a flat plate in a turbulent stream. A standard Langevin equation is used to model temporal decorrelation, but the presence of numerical issues leads to the introduction and validation of a second-order Langevin model.     

几类典型环境声的主观评价及感知特性分析

近年来,通过“注入”调控声以降低交通噪声烦恼感的声频注入法受到广泛关注。以交通噪声调控研究为背景,通过成对比较评价了4类典型声音(实验一)和4类典型交通噪声(实验二)的烦恼感。结果表明,有调声(纯音和复音)烦恼度最高,自然声最低(海潮声最佳),蓝色噪声是仅次于海潮声令人感觉舒适的声音;被试对交通噪声和白噪声的评价存在明显的分类偏好。分析心理声学特征发现人对声音的感知依赖于多方面因素,但声刺激的某一因素(如粗糙度或音调特别高)特别突出则会引起极大的反感。构建不相似度二维感知空间,维度1反映了声音类型间的差异,维度2表征了被试对不同类型声音的烦恼度评价;并且通过相关分析发现它们与谱结构参量相关性较强。接下来的研究中,可以通过调整交通噪声的谱下降值和时域上升时间等参量使其谱结构更接近于自然声,从而降低噪声烦恼度。     

Wind-generated ambient noise in a topographically isolated basin: a pre-industrial era proxy

During the mid-1980s, calibrated measurements of ambient noise and wind speed were made in the Tongue of the Ocean in the Bahamas to quantify the spectra and statistics of wind-generated noise. This deep basin is topographically isolated from the Atlantic Ocean and, therefore, largely acoustically decoupled from the Atlantic Ocean deep sound channel. The quantitative effects of contaminating (non-surface wind-generated) noise sources within the basin were eliminated by careful measurement and robust statistical analysis methodologies. Above 500 Hz, the spectral slopes are approximately -5 dB per octave and independent of wind speed. Below 500 Hz, the ambient noise is no longer a linear function of wind speed. Below 100 Hz and for wind speeds greater than 18.5 knots (kt), the ambient noise is independent of frequency. The minimum observed ambient noise level falls 13 dB below Urick's "light shipping" level at 30 Hz and 2-5 dB below Wenz's sea state zero level through the wind-dominated portion of the spectrum. The basin's geographical isolation and the rigorous measurement and analysis methodologies employed make this two-decade-old data set a reasonable and justified proxy for pre-industrial era ocean noise levels in the 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency band.     

Using feature vectors to detect frog calls in wireless sensor networks

A method for detecting vocalization of giant barred frogs (Mixophyes iteratus) in noisy audio is proposed. Audio recordings from remote wireless sensor nodes were segmented into individual sounds and from each sound a small set of features was extracted. Feature vectors were compared to those of example calls using a Euclidean distance formula as a detection system. The system achieved a sensitivity of 0.85 with specificity of 0.92 when distinguishing M. iteratus calls from other species' calls and sensitivity of 0.88 with specificity 0.82 against background noise.     

船舶水下辐射噪声信号理论模型及仿真

分析典型船舶水下辐射噪声实验数据,获取船舶水下辐射噪声功率谱特征,阐明了准周期随机声脉冲序列信号模型作为船舶水下辐射噪声模型的合理性和普适性,在此基础上,引入爆炸衰减型余弦脉冲信号作为该模型的基本组成单元,给予理论分析,据以数值构建船舶辐射噪声,并与海上试验获取的商船辐射噪声数据进行对比,结果明显一致,证明了该方法的有效性和实用性.