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At least 253 records · Page 14

Atmospheric sound propagation

The propagation of sound waves at infrasonic frequencies (oscillation periods 1.0 - 1000 seconds) in the atmosphere is being studied by a network of seven stations separated geographically by distances of the order of thousands of kilometers. The stations measure the following characteristics of infrasonic waves: (1) the amplitude and waveform of the incident sound pressure, (2) the direction of propagation of the wave, (3) the horizontal phase velocity, and (4) the distribution of sound wave energy at various frequencies of oscillation. Some infrasonic sources which were identified and studied include the aurora borealis, tornadoes, volcanos, gravity waves on the oceans, earthquakes, and atmospheric instability waves caused by winds at the tropopause. Waves of unknown origin seem to radiate from several geographical locations, including one in the Argentine.

Cook, R. K.↗

Sound propagation and absorption in foam - A distributed parameter model.

Liquid-base foams are highly effective sound absorbers. A better understanding of the mechanisms of sound absorption in foams was sought by exploration of a mathematical model of bubble pulsation and coupling and the development of a distributed-parameter mechanical analog. A solution by electric-circuit analogy was thus obtained and transmission-line theory was used to relate the physical properties of the foams to the characteristic impedance and propagation constants of the analog transmission line. Comparison of measured physical properties of the foam with values obtained from measured acoustic impedance and propagation constants and the transmission-line theory showed good agreement. We may therefore conclude that the sound propagation and absorption mechanisms in foam are accurately described by the resonant response of individual bubbles coupled to neighboring bubbles.

Manson, L.↗

Vertical sounding of the atmosphere with the Nimbus IV infrared spectrometer experiment.

Nimbus III and IV meteorological satellite data obtained on a Michelson interferometer are used as a basis for sounding the vertical temperature and water-vapor and ozone content profiles in the atmosphere. Selection of suitable locations and bandwidths for making such soundings efficient is discussed. Several transmittance models of the atmosphere, and terrain properties and cloud emissivity effects as factors influencing the sounding results are considered.

Conrath, B. J.↗

Correlation of total sound power and peak sideline OASPL from jet exhausts.

An empirical analysis of jet noise is made for convergent exhaust nozzles. This study, conducted at the Lewis Research Center, presents an engineering approach to the correlation of total sound power and maximum sideline OASPL (at 200 ft) for both subsonic and supersonic jets based on available data. Data correlation for subsonic jets shows no dependency of total sound power and maximum sideline OASPL on jet density. The analysis for supersonic jets results in a correlation parameter for jet total sound power consisting of the conventional Lighthill parameter modified by considerations of jet Mach number and jet acoustic velocity. Similar parameters also correlate the maximum sideline OASPL for supersonic jets.

Von Glahn, U. H.↗

Circulation of Prince William Sound

The author has identified the following significant results. Visual examination of the available ERTS-1 and NASA NP-3 aircraft imagery has suggested that sediment-laden plumes from rivers may be useful in tracking surface circulation over the regions where these plumes retain their visible identities. Plumes of ice derived from tidewater glaciers are highly visible on the ERTS-1 imagery, but are generally of too small an areal extent to be useful in tracing surface circulation. Shore-fast ice is also highly visible on the ERTS-1 data. Practical scientific results include a corroboration of the westward flow just offshore in the Gulf of Alaska with inflow through Hinchinbrook Entrance into Prince William Sound. The tracer in this case was the Copper River Plume, which originates at the mouth of the Copper River east of Prince William Sound. A single partial image of Port Valdez, in northeastern Prince William Sound, suggests by the visible suspended sediment distribution that surface circulation there was cyclonic, as deduced previously from oceanographic baseline data. Surf along the shoreline of the Gulf of Alaska is highly visible on ERTS-1 imagery.

Muench, R. D.↗

Measured and calculated transmission losses of sound waves through a helium layer

An experiment was performed to measure the transmission losses of sound waves traversing an impedance layer. The sound emanated from a point source and the impedance layer was created by a low-speed helium jet. The transmission losses measured were of the order of 12 db for frequencies of the source between 4 and 12 kHz. These losses are greater than those predicted from analysis when the observer angle is less than about 35 deg, but less than those predicted for larger observer angles. The experimental results indicate that appreciable noise reductions can be realized for an observer shielded by an impedance layer, irrespective of his position relative to the source of sound.

Norum, T. D.↗

High-frequency sound waves to eliminate a horizon in the mixmaster universe.

From the linear wave equation for small-amplitude sound waves in a curved space-time, there is derived a geodesiclike differential equation for sound rays to describe the motion of wave packets. These equations are applied in the generic, nonrotating, homogeneous closed-model universe (the 'mixmaster universe,' Bianchi type IX). As for light rays described by Doroshkevich and Novikov (DN), these sound rays can circumnavigate the universe near the singularity to remove particle horizons only for a small class of these models and in special directions. Although these results parallel those of DN, different Hamiltonian methods are used for treating the Einstein equations.

Chitre, D. M.↗

Sound directivity pattern radiated from small airfoils.

Verification of Curle's (1955) point dipole sound theory as a means for predicting the level and directivity of sound radiated from rigid surfaces in flow. A presented comparison between theory and experiment is shown to provide evidence that airfoils in flow, whose dimensions are small in relation to the wavelength of the radiated sound, radiate like point dipoles in apparent support of Curle's theory.

Hersh, A. S.↗

Sound measurements within and in the radiated field of an annular duct with flow.

Recent theory on sound propagation for flow ducts initiated a research program (sponsored by NASA-Langley, Contract NAS1-10472) which has the objective of comparing detailed acoustical measurements with the analytical predictions for sound propagation in a duct with sheared flow. The effects considered experimentally mean flow, shear, wall impedance, and source distribution on sound propagation within and radiation from finite lenght annular ducts. Results reported here are confined to acoustic distribution in hard annular ducts with and without mean flow and radiated field patterns for the same conditions. The acoustic distributions are shown for single and multi-mode excitation. The flow duct facility is also described.

Plumblee, H. E.↗

Sound propagation in and radiation from acoustically lined flow ducts: A comparison of experiment and theory

The results of an experimental and theoretical study of many of the fundamental details of sound propagation in hard wall and soft wall annular flow ducts are reported. The theory of sound propagation along such ducts and the theory for determining the complex radiation impedance of higher order modes of an annulus are outlined, and methods for generating acoustic duct modes are developed. The results of a detailed measurement program on propagation in rigid wall annular ducts with and without airflow through the duct are presented. Techniques are described for measuring cut-on frequencies, modal phase speed, and radial and annular mode shapes. The effects of flow velocity on cut-on frequencies and phase speed are measured. Comparisons are made with theoretical predictions for all of the effects studies. The two microphone method of impedance is used to measure the effects of flow on acoustic liners. A numerical study of sound propagation in annular ducts with one or both walls acoustically lined is presented.

Plumblee, H. E., Jr.↗

Ejectable underwater sound source recovery assembly

An underwater sound source is described that may be ejectably mounted on any mobile device that travels over water, to facilitate in the location and recovery of the device when submerged. A length of flexible line maintains a connection between the mobile device and the sound source. During recovery, the sound source is located be particularly useful in the recovery of spent rocket motors that bury in the ocean floor upon impact.

Irick, S. C.↗

Device for recording the 20 Hz - 200 KHz sound frequency spectrum using teletransmission

The device described consists of two distinct parts: (1) The sound pickup system consisting of the wide-frequency band condenser microphone which contains in the same assembly the frequency-modulated oscillator and the output stage. Being transistorized and small, this system can be easily moved, so that sounds can be picked up even in places that are difficult to reach with larger devices. (2) The receiving and recording part is separate and can be at a great distance from the sound pickup system. This part contains a 72 MHz input stage, a frequency changer that gives an intermediate frequency of 30 MHz and a multichannel analyzer coupled to an oscilloscope and a recorder.

Baciu, I.↗

Broadband sound radiated from subsonic rotors

Recent theoretical work on sound sources in subsonic turbomachinery is applied to the correlation of axial-flow fan and compressor noise measurements. Correlations are presented for directivity and sound-power spectra associated with broadband noise. A simple explanation is given to account for the relative amounts of sound power transmitted upstream and downstream from a single-stage fan.

Morfey, C. L.↗

Amplification, attenuation, and dispersion of sound in inhomogeneous flows

First order effects of gradients in nonuniform potential flows of a compressible gas are included in a dispersion relation for sound waves. Three nondimensional numbers, the ratio of the change in the kinetic energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy of the gas, the ratio of the change in the total energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy, and the ratio of the dillatation frequency (the rate of expansion per unit volume) to the acoustic frequency, play a role in the separation of the effects of flow gradients into isotropic and anisotropic effects. Dispersion and attenuation (or amplification) of sound are found to be proportional to the wavelength for small wavelength, and depend on the direction of wave propagation relative to flow gradients. Modification of ray acoustics for the effects of flow gradients is suggested, and conditions for amplification and attenuation of sound are discussed.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

Propagation of Sound at Moderate and High Intensities in Absorbent and Hard-Walled Cylindrical Ducts

The propagation of plane wave and higher order acoustic modes in both hard-walled and absorbent cylindrical ducts was studied at moderate sound intensities where the linear wave equation is valid, and at high intensities where nonlinear effects can be observed. The experiments were conducted with an anechoically terminated twelve-inch inside-diameter transite pipe. Various types of sound sources were mounted at one end of the duct to generate the desired acoustic fields within the duct. Arrays of conventional loudspeakers were used to generate plane waves and higher order acoustic modes at moderate intensities, and an array of four high intensity electro-pneumatic sound sources was used for the experiments in the nonlinear region. The attenuation of absorbent liners made of several different materials was obtained at moderate intensities for both plane waves and high order modes. It was found that the characteristics of the liners studied did not change appreciably at high intensities.

Mcdaniel, Oliver Herbert↗

Annoyance resulting from intrusion of aircraft sounds upon various activities

An experiment was conducted in which subjects were engaged in TV viewing, telephone listening, or reverie (no activity) for a 1/2-hour session. During the session, they were exposed to a series of recorded aircraft sounds at the rate of one flight every 2 minutes. Within each session, four levels of flyover noise, separated by dB increments, were presented several times in a Latin Square balanced sequence. The peak level of the noisiest flyover in any session was fixed at 95, 90, 85, 75, or 70 dBA. At the end of the test session, subjects recorded their responses to the aircraft sounds, using a bipolar scale which covered the range from very pleasant to extremely annoying. Responses to aircraft noises were found to be significantly affected by the particular activity in which the subjects were engaged. Not all subjects found the aircraft sounds to be annoying.

Gunn, W. J.↗

Amplification, attenuation, and dispersion of sound in inhomogeneous flows

First order effects of gradients in nonuniform potential flows of a compressible gas are included in a dispersion relation for sound waves. Three nondimensional numbers, the ratio of the change in the kinetic energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy of the gas, the ratio of the change in the total energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy, and the ratio of the dilatation frequency (the rate of expansion per unit volume) to the acoustic frequency, play the dominant role permitting the separation of the effects of flow gradients into isotropic and anisotropic effects. Dispersion and attenuation (or amplification) of sound are proportional to the wavelength for small wavelength and depend on the direction of wave propagation relative to flow gradients. Modification of ray acoustics for the effects of flow gradients is suggested and conditions for amplification and attenuation of sound are discussed.

Kentzer, C. P.↗