First model of industrial noise propagation in the vicinity of the Yasuní National Park

Abstract

Abstract This work addresses aspects of industrial noise produced by the facilities of oil extraction near Yasuní National Park, located in the Ecuadorian Amazon region. The acoustic sources within this kind of facilities could influence in the wildlife behavior, which could impact negatively on the species. The acoustic wave radial propagation model in an open field is proposed through a geometric divergence attenuation, atmospheric absorption effect, dispersion effects due to obstacles, and soil effects. The initial model without obstacles makes predictions based on an algorithm considering that the data are associated to a GPS position, the first propagation model without obstacles determines the level of sound pressure for each quasi-horizontal measurement (x, y). Then, dispersion factors are incorporated through the NORD2000 model to consider the local flora that introduces reflection and dispersion phenomena which are in the environment considering geometric measurements estimated in situ. The pressure level of the model without obstacles decreases as the frequency increases, but with less intensity compared to the pressure level of the model with obstacles. As the frequency increases, there are important fluctuations since the attenuating factors influence more than the correction factors.