A summation and inhibition model of annoyance response to multiple community noise sources

A model of annoyance due to combined noise sources was developed. The model provides for the summation of the subjective magnitudes of annoyance due to the separate noise sources and for the inhibition of the subjective magnitudes of each source by the presence of the other noise sources. The inhibition process is assumed to mathematically obey a power-group transformation. The results of an experiment in which subjects judged the annoyance of 15 minute sessions of combined aircraft and with several other models of combined source annoyance. These comparisons indicated that the model developed herein provides better qualitative and quantitative agreement with experimental responses than the other models. The application of the model to multiple community noises is discussed

Effects of road traffic background noise on judgments of individual airplane noises

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of road-traffic background noise on judgments of individual airplane flyover noises. In the first experiment, 27 subjects judged a set of 16 airplane flyover noises in the presence of traffic-noise sessions of 30-min duration consisting of the combinations of 3 traffic-noise types and 3 noise levels. In the second experiment, 24 subjects judged the same airplane flyover noises in the presence of traffic-noise sessions of 10-min duration consisting of the combinations of 2 traffic-noise types and 4 noise levels. In both experiments the airplane noises were judged less annoying in the presence of high traffic-noise levels than in the presence of low traffic-noise levels

Identifying the inflaton with primordial gravitational waves

We explore the ability of experimental physics to uncover the underlying structure of the gravitational Lagrangian describing inflation. While the observable degeneracy of the inflationary parameter space is large, future measurements of observables beyond the adiabatic and tensor two-point functions, such as non-Gaussianity or isocurvature modes, might reduce this degeneracy. We show that even in the absence of such observables, the range of possible inflaton potentials can be reduced with a precision measurement of the tensor spectral index, as might be possible with a direct detection of primordial gravitational waves.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, version to appear in PR

Multiple-event airplane noise annoyance

The annoyance of sessions of airplane noise which contained different noise levels and numbers of flyovers was investigated. The time of occurrence of the high noise level flyovers in the sessions did not significantly affect annoyance, but annoyance increased with the number of such flyovers. Annoyance decreased with test session duration but increased with the total number of flyovers in the test sessions. It is found that the results support an average energy model better than a total energy model, the annoyance decay model, or the dB(A) peak concept

Annoyance due to multiple airplane noise exposure

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the annoyance effects of multiple aircraft noise exposure in which 250 subjects judged the annoyance of half-hour periods of airplane noise simulative of typical indoor home exposures. The variables of the aircraft noise exposure were the peak noise level of flyovers, which was constant within each period, and the number of flyovers. Each subject judged 5 of the possible 25 factorial combinations of level and number. Other variables investigated included the experience of the test subjects in making annoyance judgments and their home exposure to airplane noise. The annoyance judgments increased with both noise level and number of flyovers. The increased annoyance produced by doubling the number of flyovers was found to be the equivalent of a 4 to 6 db increase in noise level. The sensitivity of the subjects to changes in both noise level and number of flyovers increased with laboratory experience. Although the means of the annoyance judgments made in the laboratory were found to decrease with the subjects' home exposure to aircraft noise, the subjects' sensitivities to changes in both level and number were unaffected by their home exposure

Clonophis, C. kirtlandii

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

An LFT/SDP approach to the uncertainty analysis for state

A state estimator is an algorithm that computes the current state of a time-varying system from on-line measurements. Physical quantities such as measurements and parameters are characterised by uncertainty. Understanding how uncertainty affects the accuracy of state estimates is therefore a pre-requisite to the application of such techniques to real systems. In this paper we develop a method of uncertainty analysis based on linear fractional transformations (LFT) and obtain ellipsoid-of-confidence bounds by recasting the LFT problem into a semidefinite programming problem (SDP). The ideas are illustrated by applying them to a simple water distribution network

Human response to aircraft noise

The human auditory system and the perception of sound are discussed. The major concentration is on the annnoyance response and methods for relating the physical characteristics of sound to those psychosociological attributes associated with human response. Results selected from the extensive laboratory and field research conducted on human response to aircraft noise over the past several decades are presented along with discussions of the methodology commonly used in conducting that research. Finally, some of the more common criteria, regulations, and recommended practices for the control or limitation of aircraft noise are examined in light of the research findings on human response

Relict diagenetic textures and structures in regional metamorphic rocks, northern Michigan /NASA geological test site number 126/

Relict diagenetic textures and structures in regional metamorphic rocks, northern Michiga

Advanced high-temperature electromagnetic pump

Three phase helical, electromagnetic induction pump for use as boiler feed pump in potassium Rankine-cycle power system is described. Techniques for fabricating components of pump are discussed. Specifications of pump are analyzed