scholarly journals Underwater Ambient Noise in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen, during the Summers of 2015 and 2016

ARCTIC ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 386-392
Author(s):  
Muthuraj Ashokan ◽  
Ganesan Latha ◽  
Ayyadurai Thirunavukkarasu

Underwater ambient noise was measured in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, during the summers of 2015 and 2016 to understand the contribution of iceberg bubbling, iceberg calving, and shipping noise to the acoustic environment of the fjord. Comparison of the ambient noise data for the months of August, September, and October showed that average noise levels were similar, although the average noise level for 2015 was ~9 dB higher than in 2016 because of higher shipping noise. Maximum ambient noise was produced at frequencies less than 10 kHz during both summers. Spectrograms of iceberg calving noise showed that it occurred in the frequency below 500 Hz. Shipping noise was seen in the band below 600 Hz, and iceberg bubbling noise was detected in the band above 400 Hz. Instrument noise was observed in the frequency 400 Hz. It is clear that ice breaking and shipping contribute substantially to ambient noise in Kongsfjorden.

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Baudilio Acevedo Buitrago ◽  
Deisy Mireya Ortíz Bernal ◽  
Estefanía Ramírez Trujillo

Introduction:This article shows the evaluation of environmental noise around the medical centers located in the UPZ Americas and Kennedy Central - Bogotá, and the proposal of some actions related to the planning of the territory as a strategy for mitigation. Problem:The Kennedy town has presented high levels of environmental noise, which is a worrying aspect due to its correlation with the effects on people's health. Objective:This research was conducted for the purpose of compiling updated information on environmental noise in the Kennedy locality and evaluating regulatory compliance and identifing the phenomena to establish actions that lead to its mitigation. Methodology:The measurement process was guided under the guidelines of ISO 1996:1 and the parameters established in Res. 627/2006 of the Ministry of Environment. Results:The ambient noise levels exceed the maximum permissible limits (55 dB) on the different days and hours of measurement. It was also determined that this phenomenon is mainly related to high vehicular flow as well as formal and informal commercial activities around medical centers. Conclusion:There is no regulatory compliance in relation to environmental noise and the territorial plan established in the UPZ. The suggested actions are: use of parks to plant native trees that act as biological barriers, non-use of surrounding streets as secondary traffic roads and reorganization of trade activities. Originality:Updated environmental noise data was obtained around medical centers in Kennedy and problems of inappropriate growth and development were identified. Limitations:Lack of information on environmental noise measurements in other sectors of the area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimihiro Sakagami

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdowns in many countries worldwide. Acousticians have made surveys to monitor how cities became quieter under the lockdown, mainly in central areas in cities. However, there have been few studies on the changes in the acoustic environment due to the pandemic in the usually quieter residential areas. It may be expected to be different from the effect in ‘originally noisy’ areas. Also, the effect could be different in Japan, because the ‘state of emergency’ declaration there was different to lockdowns elsewhere. Considering these circumstances, this article reports the results of noise monitoring and makes some observations on the acoustic environment in residential areas far from city centres, to provide an example of how the acoustic environment was affected by the state of emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The results showed that the reduction of noise levels was somewhat less than that reported in large cities. Also, comparing the results after the cancellation of the state of emergency, the noise level increased again. However, observations of noise sources imply that a possible change in human behaviour may have also affected the acoustic environment.


1971 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harlan Lane ◽  
Bernard Tranel

Lombard noted in 1911 that a speaker changes his voice level similarly when the ambient noise level increases, on the one hand, and when the level at which he hears his own voice (his sidetone) decreases, on the other. We can now state the form of these two functions, show that they are related to each other and to the equal-sensation function for imitating speech or noise loudness, and account for their form in terms of the underlying sensory scales and the hypothesis that the speaker tries to maintain a speech-to-noise ratio favorable for communication. Perturbations in the timing and spectrum of sidetone also lead the speaker to compensate for the apparent deterioration in his intelligibility. Such compensations reflect direct and indirect audience control of speech, rather than its autoregulation by sidetone. When not harassed by prying experimenters or an unfavorable acoustic environment, the speaker need no more listen to himself while speaking than he need speak to himself while listening.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 6349
Author(s):  
Omaimah Ali Al-Arja

People seek health and leisure in gyms and fitness halls. In this study, interior acoustics including reverberation time (T) and activity noise levels were studied in 20 indoor sports and gymnasium (IS & G) halls in Amman, Jordan. Interviews and questionnaires were also applied to assess the subjective comfort levels of the acoustic environment in these IS & G halls. The measured values were correlated with the subjective evaluations. The range of measured T values was 1.09–5.38 s. The activity noise level, which was measured with LA,eq over 50 min of activity, ranged between 80.0 and 110.0 dB(A). The average personal noise exposure for instructors was 92.6 dB(A), ranging from 81.0 to 108.0 dB(A), whereas 90% of the measurement results were above the occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 85.0 dB(A), and 40% of instructors were potentially exposed to excessive noise levels. The subjective rating of listening conditions correlated significantly with the reverberation time rather than noise level (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the results from this study show that noise levels generated in the studied IS & G halls present a possible workplace noise hazard. Raising awareness of the risk of hearing problems among instructors working in IS & G halls is highly recommended.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-367

Noise pollution higher than the standard values intensifies the patients' disease and also has negative effects on hospital staff. This study aimed to determine the level of noise pollution in the Kermanshah hospitals and also to compare obtained data with national and international standards. Multifunctional sound level meter (Model CEL – 450), has been applied for determining the sound level in different parts of a hospital in 3 different time of day (morning, visiting hours (evening), and night) for working day and holiday. The highest level was on working days and it was 60.24±5.76 dB. The average noise level on holiday was 58.15±5.44 dB. Generally, the average noise level in all studied hospitals was higher than the standard levels. The results of the analyses showed that when the P=0.003, there’s a significant difference between the average noise levels on different days. According to the results of the studies, it is necessary to plan and take managerial and technical – engineering measures to reduce the noise levels to standard levels.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-478
Author(s):  
Julius Gineika ◽  
Raimondas Grubliauskas

Ambient noise harms a number of citizens in Europe. The major sources of environmental noise are that generated by cars in streets, parking lots, railway lines and airports as well as noise from local sources (fans, transformers). According to the methodology for noise measurement, engine testing has been carried out. The conducted analysis has been focused on engine capacity and the distance between vehicles and equipment. Equivalent, maximum and minimum sound levels at different frequencies have been measured accepting that errors may range up to 2 %. Maximum sound level has been reached using the engine of 2000 cm3 petrol capacity. At a half-meter distance, the equivalent sound level reaches 89 dB(A), whereas the noise level decreases moving away from the car. The obtained results of tested cars disclose that according to engine capacity, the majority of the investigated cars are technically faulty and therefore significantly exceed noise levels. Santrauka Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas lengvųjų automobilių variklių skleidžiamas triukšmas bei jo poveikis aplinkai. Pateikiama triukšmo matavimo metodika ir eksperimentinis variklio sukelto triukšmo tyrimas. Ištirti penki automobiliai su skirtingais darbinio tūrio skirtingais atstumais varikliais: 1400 cm3 benzininis, 1500 cm3 dyzelinis, 1800 cm3 benzininis, 2000 cm3 benzininis ir 2500 cm3 dyzelinis. Variklio keliamo triukšmo tyrimas buvo atliktas, esant 1000 sūk./min., taip pat įvertinta, kurie automobiliai viršija leistinus triukšmo lygius. Buvo atlikti tyrimai esant 3000 sūk./min. (benzininiams varikliams) ir 3500 sūk./min. (dyzeliniams varikliams). Išmatuoti ekvivalentinis, maksimalus bei minimalus garso lygiai, taip pat garso lygiai, esant skirtingiems dažniams. Priimame prielaidą, kad paklaida gali svyruoti iki 2 %. Didžiausias garso lygis pasiektas 2000 cm3 benzininio variklio. Pusės metro atstumu ekvivalentinis garso lygis siekia 89 dB(A). Tolstant nuo automobilio, triukšmo lygis mažėja. Remiantis gautais rezultatais, galima daryti išvadą, kad vertinant pagal variklių darbinį tūrį daugelis tirtųjų automobilių yra techniškai netvarkingi ir stipriai viršija triukšmo lygius.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Outrey ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Pretalli ◽  
Sophie Pujol ◽  
Alice Brembilla ◽  
Thibaut Desmettre ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Noise levels are monitored in call centres. A maximum of 52 to 55 dB(A) is recommended in order to prevent adverse events. We aimed at assessing the noise level and the impact of a visual noise indicator on the ambient noise level in a French Regional Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre (EMDC). Methods We conducted an observational study in the EMDC of the SAMU25 (University Hospital of Besancon). We measured the noise level using a SoundEarII® noise indicator (Dräger Medical SAS, France). The measurement took place in two phases on three consecutive days from 00:00 to 11:59 PM. At baseline, phase 1, the device recorded the average ambient noise for each minute without visual indication. Secondly, phase 2 included a sensor mounted with a light that would turn on green if noise was below 65 dB(A), orange if noise ever exceeded 65 and red if it exceeded 75 dB(A). Results In the presence of the visual noise indicator, the LAeq was significantly lower than in the absence of visual noise indicator (a mean difference of − 4.19 dB; P < 10–3). It was higher than 55 dB(A) in 84.9 and 43.9% of the time in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions The noise levels were frequently higher than the standards, and sometimes close to recommended limits, requiring preventive measures. The noise indicator had a positive effect on the ambient noise level. This work will allow the implementation of effective prevention solutions and, based on future assessments, could improve operators’ well-being and better care for patient.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-42
Author(s):  
Kamineni Aditya ◽  
Venkaiah Chowdary

AbstractThis paper presents a study conducted at major rotaries for quantifying the traffic noise levels by considering the vehicle volume and their respective honking as governing parameters for heterogeneous traffic. Traffic volume and traffic noise data was collected using a digital video camera and a class 1 sound level meter, respectively. The traffic noise data was analysed using noise tools for identifying the noise level variation. The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis for light, medium and heavy vehicles, and their contribution towards noise levels is proven to be effective with the forthright fact that, heavy vehicles and their corresponding honking were majorly affecting the equivalent noise level compared to other vehicular proportion. An equivalent noise level [LAeq (dB)] rise of 2 to 6 dB (A) is solely caused by heavy vehicles, which is an important observation to be considered for traffic noise analysis at the rotaries. Based on the obtained results from one of the rotaries, noise prediction model is developed for estimating the LAeq (dB), which is able to predict the noise levels with good precision when validated with the data collected at second rotary intersection for different vehicle volumes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-295
Author(s):  
S. Madan ◽  
Pallavi Pallavi

The present study was carried to investigate the noise level at four different locations of Haridwar viz. Singh Dwar, Rishikul, Chandi ghat and Har Ki Pauri during Kumbh Mela 2010. During normal days maximum noise levels were recorded at Chandi ghat i.e. 87.11±0.45 dB (A) in the evening hours and minimum noise levels were recorded at Har Ki Pauri i.e. 60.8±0.89 dB (A) in the morning hours. While during festival days maximum noise levels were at Har Ki Pauri i.e. 88.4 ± 1.65 dB (A) in the evening respectively and Rishikul the least being 54.93±0.53 dB (A) in the morning hours. Noise levels in all the areas were found to be above the ambient noise standard. These high noise levels may have induced headache, annoyance, lack of concentration and other varied effects on human health.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimihiro Sakagami

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdown in many countries. Acousticians made surveys to monitor how cities became quieter under the lockdown, mainly in the central areas of cities. However, there have been few studies on changes in the acoustic environment due to the pandemic in rather quieter residential areas. It may be expected to be different from the effect in originally noisy areas. Also, the effect could be different in Japan, because the "state of emergency" declaration there was different to lockdown. Considering these circumstances, this paper reports the results of noise monitoring and makes some observations on the acoustic environment in residential areas remote from city centres, to provide an example of how the acoustic environment was affected by the "state of emergency" declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The results showed that the reduction of noise levels was somewhat smaller than that reported in large cities. Also, comparing the results after the cancellation of the "state of emergency", the noise level increased again. However, observations of noise sources imply that a possible change in human behaviour may have also affected the acoustic environment.


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