Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Aircraft Noise Propagation

Abstract

This report presents the results of a test program conducted to measure the effect of varying meteorological conditions on aircraft flyover noise levels. Detailed temperature and humidity data were obtained using an instrument system carried by a light aircraft. High and low altitude inversions as well as standard lapse rate atmospheres were investigated. Level flyovers were conducted, using a DC-9-10 aircraft operated at a thrust of 6,000 lbs., as a constant noise source. Measured noise levels varied up to 4 EPNdB depending upon the absorptive properties of the atmosphere. Several analysis procedures were investigated in an effort to correct noise data for weather conditions. Weather correction procedures based on single point meteorological data were inadequate to normalize, to reference conditions, the noise data for those conditions with non-uniform temperature and humidity profiles. A layered analysis procedure, however, normalized all flyover noise levels to those levels taken under near reference conditions. The layered analysis procedure incrementally adjusts the measured peak spectra based on the acoustic absorption in each increment. These results indicated that noise certification testing under non-uniform temperature and humidity conditions could, if allowed, be conducted provided that frequent and detailed meteorological data is available and the layered weather correction procedure is used.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA014644

Entities

People

  • Harold C. True
  • Jb Mccollough

Organizations

  • Federal Aviation Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption
  • Acoustic Absorption
  • Aircraft Noise
  • Altitude
  • Atmospheric Attenuation
  • Frequency Response
  • High Altitude
  • Lapse Rate
  • Low Altitude
  • Measurement
  • Meteorological Data
  • Meteorological Instruments
  • Tape Recorders
  • Temperature Inversion
  • Turbulence
  • Wind Shear
  • Wind Velocity

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Acoustics.
  • Climatology
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation