Aircraft Noise Annoyance Research Articles

The effect of aircraft noise on noise annoyance in DEBATS and NORAH pooled analysis: Role of non-acoustic factors

We investigated the dose-response relationship between aircraft noise levels and noise annoyance in the French DEBATS study including 1244 participants in 2013 and a sub-study of the German NORAH study including 1039 participants in 2014. In both studies, annoyance due to aircraft noise was assessed using the ICBEN 5-points question. High annoyance was defined according to ISO/TS-15666 (HAV). Outdoor aircraft noise levels were modelled for the participants' home addresses. The moderation roles of noise sensitivity, gender and age were investigated. About 18% of the participants in the DEBATS study reported to be highly annoyed vs 54% in the NORAH study. The mean noise levels (Lden) were similar (54 dBA in DEBATS and 52 dBA in NORAH). In the pooled analysis, high noise annoyance was associated not only with aircraft noise levels, but also with non-acoustical factors such as noise sensitivity, age and trust in authorities. Noise sensitivity moderates the effect of aircraft noise levels on aircraft noise annoyance (p-value of interaction = 0.02), while age and gender do not.

Qualifying and quantifying the different ways in which people are annoyed by aircraft noise

Aircraft noise remains a major problem for many people living near airports, despite the efforts of the various air traffic operators and aircraft manufacturers to reduce the nuisance. Noise abatement usually relies on quantitative approaches based on noise measurements at source or in residential areas. However, field studies have shown that the level of annoyance experienced within a given noise exposure zone varies widely, demonstrating that noise levels alone do not explain the experience of local residents. The present work brought together a wide range of disciplines (aeronautics, acoustics, linguistics, psychoacoustics, social and environmental psychology) to define a common framework for reconciling field and laboratory studies on aircraft noise annoyance. A survey of 1250 people living near airports enabled us to precisely qualify the annoyance experienced, and to identify 6 highly differentiated annoyance profiles based on non-acoustic factors. Focus groups and laboratory experiments with people living near airports revealed an impact of annoyance profiles on both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of noise annoyance, which confirms the diversity of their experiences in the same listening situation.

Effects of aircraft noise exposure on self-reported health through aircraft noise annoyance: Causal mediation analysis in the DEBATS longitudinal study in France.

Previous studies reported an association between transportation noise and self-reported health status (SRHS). They also suggested a mediating role of noise annoyance using conventional statistical methods. These methods are subject to bias in longitudinal studies with time-dependent exposure, mediator and confounding factors. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of aircraft noise annoyance in the effect of aircraft noise on SRHS using a causal inference approach to address time-dependent variables issues. We used data from 881 participants in all three visits in the DEBATS longitudinal study conducted around three French airports. Participants over 18 years of age reported their self-perceived health status, aircraft noise annoyance, and noise sensitivity by completing a questionnaire at three visits in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Noise maps were used to estimate aircraft noise levels outside their homes. Marginal structural models with inverse probability weighting were used to estimate the total effect of aircraft noise levels on SRHS and its decomposition into direct and indirect effect through aircraft noise annoyance. This study showed a deleterious effect of aircraft noise on SRHS. The odds ratio (OR) corresponding to the total effect and comparing the highest aircraft noise category (≥60 dBA) to the reference category (<50 dBA) was significant (ORpoor/fair_SHRS = 1.25 (95%CI: 1.06 to 2.08)). It also showed no direct effect of aircraft noise levels on SRHS, but an indirect effect through annoyance. This indirect effect increased as aircraft noise levels increased, with a statistically significant OR when comparing the highest noise category (≥60 dBA) to the lowest (<50 dBA) (ORpoor/fair_SHRS = 1.16 (95%CI: 1.03 to 1.52)). Nearly 66% of aircraft noise's effect on SRHS was mediated by aircraft noise annoyance. This study supports the deleterious causal effect of aircraft noise on SRHS. The results highlight the important mediating role of aircraft noise annoyance in the causal pathway from exposure to aircraft noise to poor/fair SRHS.

Antiquated Canadian Aircraft Noise Guidance—Setting the grounds for encroachment and adverse community impacts

A comprehensive research project at the University of Windsor entitled Prediction and Management of Aircraft Noise Annoyance Around Canadian Airports reviewed multiple components of Canada’s TP 1247 Land Use in the Vicinity of Aerodromes. Using noise, complaints and survey data from Toronto Pearson International Airport, researchers evaluated the Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) system as a tool for aircraft noise annoyance prediction and management. The NEF metric and its correlation to annoyance was examined as well as applicability of the NEF 30 threshold for the onset of significant annoyance. Further, the guideline for expected community response to noise was tested. The research found that most components of the NEF system are antiquated and in need of revision. A lack of prompt action to update Canadian guidelines for aircraft noise is setting the grounds for conflicts between stakeholders with competing interests and increasing the risks for greater noise impacts on future communities.

What pandemic era travel restrictions revealed about aircraft noise, complaints and annoyance—SONICC 2020

At the start of COVID-19 travel restrictions, Toronto Pearson International Airport experienced an approximate 80% reduction in traffic. This gave an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the impacts that a drastic reduction in aircraft noise would have on the communities surrounding the airport. Using the results of the Survey of Noise Impacts on Canadian Communities (SONICC) distributed in the summer of 2020, this research evaluated pre-pandemic and amidst pandemic aircraft noise annoyance in neighbourhoods surrounding Pearson Airport. The research investigated the effects of air traffic reduction on noise levels, complaint behaviour and annoyance. Complaint volumes correlated closely to the number of operations, experiencing a significant reduction. Despite the notable reduction in complaints, many complainants continued to vigorously complain, and some locations even experienced an increase in complaints. Pre-pandemic compared to amidst pandemic annoyance experienced reductions proportional to the average reduction in noise exposure. Despite significant reductions in noise, 33% of pre-pandemic highly annoyed (HA) respondents, remained highly annoyed, suggesting that anything short of a complete halt of operations would result in severe annoyance amongst a portion of the population.

Experimental study on the effect of visual information of source image to evaluate the annoyance of aircraft noise

Laboratory tests in anechoic chambers are effective for evaluating environmental noise. In the actual environment, it is said that human reactions are greatly influenced not only by a sense of hearing but also by various senses, especially visual sensation. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the annoyance of environmental noise using an audio-visual simulation system that combines a three-dimensional sound field system in an anechoic room and a video playback system equipped with a dome-shaped screen. Previous studies have shown that the annoyance of traffic noise changes depending on the image presented, but aircraft noise is less affected by visual effects than other traffic noises. Therefore, in this study, we focused on aircraft noise and made experimental investigations. We considered two reasons why the annoyance evaluation of aircraft noise seems to be less affected by vision: the small size of the visible image, and the high sound power level relative to the image. Accordingly, we experimentally evaluated the difference in perception of annoyance due to changes in the image size by presenting images of artificially changed sizes of aircraft images as stimuli.

A composite approach to modelling aircraft noise contours for improved annoyance prediction

Aircraft noise contours are an essential tool for land-use planning around aerodromes. They are intended as predictors of the effects of aircraft noise on communities, mainly in terms of aircraft noise annoyance. In practicality, these contours often fail to encompass a large percentage of the severely annoyed population at the prescribed noise thresholds for the onset of significant annoyance. This paper proposes a novel approach to modelling noise exposure contours that can improve their predictive power. Using Toronto Pearson Airport as a case study, data from a 2020 noise annoyance questionnaire and calculated noise levels from 25 noise monitoring terminals were used to examine the relationships between severe annoyance and noise exposure for six different airport operational scenarios, representative of both average and alternate traffic configurations. The findings indicate that a composite scenario that models noise exposure for both average and alternate traffic configurations is more predictive of severe annoyance than an average type scenario alone.

The role of sound emergence for aircraft noise annoyance

The metric emergence relates source-specific sound levels to background noise. The approach of subtracting a residual sound level (total sound level without the level of a specific source) from the total sound level follows the definition of emergence in ISO 1996-1. Using exposure and survey data of the German NORAH study, the impact of emergence on aircraft noise annoyance was analysed. As total background sound levels were not available, information about source-specific and combined noise levels was used instead. For participants exposed to aircraft and road traffic noise for the emergence substitute es(air/road), road traffic sound levels for daytime (LAeq,road,day) of the home address of survey participants were subtracted from the combined sound levels of aircraft and road traffic noise (LAeq,air+road,day) with road traffic noise regarded as a proxy for background noise. Similar, for participants exposed to aircraft and railway noise, LAeq,rail,day were subtracted from LAeq,air+rail,day to obtain es(air/rail). The percentage of people highly annoyed (%HAV) by aircraft was predicted by LAeq,air,day for subgroups with es(air/road) and es(air/rail) ≥ 3 dB and es(air/road) / es(air/rail) &lt; 3 dB. Results: Particularly in low aircraft noise-exposed areas, %HAV is higher for those with higher values of es(air/road) and es(air/rail), respectively.

Health impacts of aircraft noise - a UK communities' perspective

UK Air Navigation Guidance regards 51dB LAeq16hr for day time noise and 45dB Lnight for night time noise as the levels at which aircraft noise annoyance occurs. WHO guidelines (2018) concluded that health effects can occur at lower levels of 45 dB Lden and 40 dB Lnight. Current policy recognises that noise annoyance can occur below 51dBLAeq yet it is not known how many people around UK airports may be adversely affected at these lower levels. This paper will seek to estimate the population size impacted by aircraft noise below 51dB LAeq around Heathrow airport. It will also seek to provide an international comparison of the noise policies of different airports in Europe and globally, the size of the population impacted and the minimum threshold for the onset of health effects. The most radical changes in UK airspace history will take place in the next decade. If more people are adversely impacted by aircraft noise at lower levels then this has significant ramifications for the cost benefit analysis of airspace changes. It is crucial that communities can understand the full health impacts of the proposals.

The Role of Noise Annoyance and Noise Sensitivity in the Effect of Aircraft Noise on Self-Reported Health: The Results of the DEBATS Longitudinal Study in France.

Transportation noise seems to impair self-reported health status (SRHS). However, only a few studies have considered the role of noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in this deleterious effect. This study aims investigating mediator and moderator roles of noise annoyance and noise sensitivity. In 2013, the DEBATS longitudinal study included 1244 participants aged over 18 years and living around three French airports. These participants were followed up in 2015 and 2017. They self-reported their perceived health status, aircraft noise annoyance, and their noise sensitivity via a questionnaire during the three visits. Noise maps were used to estimate aircraft noise levels at the facade of participants' residence. Generalized linear mixed models with a random intercept at the participant level were used. Aircraft noise levels were associated with severe annoyance. Severe annoyance tent to be associated with impaired SRHS. Aircraft noise levels were associated with impaired SRHS only in men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.02, 2.11], for a 10-dBA Lden increase in aircraft noise levels) with a weaker association adjusted for annoyance (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = [0.94, 1.98]). The association was stronger in men who reported high noise sensitivity (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = [0.92, 3.70], versus OR = 1.39, 95% CI = [0.90, 2.14], for men who were not highly sensitive to noise). From our results, the deleterious effect of aircraft noise on SRHS could be mediated by noise annoyance and moderated by noise sensitivity. Further studies using causal inference methods are needed for identifying causal effect of exposure, mediator, and moderator.

An alternate approach to regulatory analyses of the findings of a 20-airport social survey

Miller, Czech, Hellauer, Nicholas, Lohr, Jodts, Broene, Morganstein, Kali, Zhu, Cantor, Hudnall, and Melia [(2021). HMMH Report 308520.004.001] reported the findings of a 20-airport social survey sponsored by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration that had been designed and conducted six years earlier. Their primary analyses yielded FICON (1992) style (national average and airport-specific bivariate logistic regression) functions relating aircraft noise exposure to the prevalence of high annoyance [FICON (1992). "Federal agency review of selected airport noise analysis issues" (Department of Defense, Washington, DC)]. Alternate analyses of these field observations offer pragmatic benefits for regulatory purposes. Community Tolerance Level (CTL) analysis yields a national average exposure-response predictive function that is nearly indistinguishable from that of a bivariate logistic regression function. Since it natively distinguishes dose-related from collective, non-dose influences on annoyance, it also permits a more parsimonious and readily understood account of the association between aircraft noise exposure and annoyance. Within the exposure range of primary contemporary regulatory concern, CTL analysis accounts for as much variance as FICON-style analysis in the association between noise exposure and predicted annoyance; provides a causal basis for regulation; and can be more effectively implemented and defended than a purely correlation-based analysis. In addition, CTL analysis helps to address the substantial disagreement between the findings of the literature and those of national and international technical consensus standards.

Non-acoustic factors and their role in aircraft noise annoyance

Non-acoustic factors have been acknowledged for some time as likely contributors to aircraft noise annoyance. They help explain why a given level of noise exposure can evoke severe annoyance in one person but not in another. Multiple analyses have concluded that non-acoustic factors explain more variance in annoyance results than noise exposure levels do. That begs questions as to why noise exposure levels are currently the only prescribed predictor of annoyance, and why regulating agencies continue to focus on only reducing noise exposure to combat annoyance. The subjective nature and lack of thorough understanding of non-acoustic factors has rendered them unusable for regulatory purposes, or even as topics of discussion with various stakeholders. What then is the purpose to study non-acoustic contributors to noise annoyance, other than to dismiss severe annoyance by implicating personal, attitudinal, or situational factors rather than the noise itself? This discussion suggests mechanisms by which non-acoustic factors contribute to annoyance and proposes practical ways to incorporate this knowledge in the prediction and mitigation of annoyance.

Distribution methodology for aircraft noise annoyance surveys

Annoyance is one of the most common effects of aircraft noise on individuals. The prevalence of severe annoyance within a community is a metric that informs regulatory noise exposure thresholds and guidelines. It is therefore critical that accurate annoyance data is collected through community surveys, which are typically distributed to areas affected by various levels of aircraft noise, as defined by average-day type noise exposure contours. This distribution methodology excludes segments of the population that are affected by noise but underrepresented by these types of contours. Here are presented the results of two community surveys executed around Toronto Pearson International Airport, using different distribution methodologies. The first survey identified five zones for distribution based on noise exposure contours. The second survey was distributed within a 750-meter radius around 25 noise monitoring terminals in the vicinity of the airport. The two surveys yielded different annoyance results, particularly as they relate to the locations of highly annoyed respondents. A prevalence of severe annoyance was observed in areas that were intermittently affected by aircraft noise and thus out of the range of average-day type noise contours. It was concluded that a more comprehensive approach for survey distribution is necessary to ensure unbiased annoyance results.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on aircraft noise levels, annoyance, and health effects in an urban area in Oman.

This study aimed at investigating aircraft noise exposure levels, their annoyance, and potential health effects among communities living within airport catchment areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both field measurements and an online survey approach were used to investigate aircraft noise exposure levels, annoyance, and general health effects among residents living near Muscat International Airport (MCT) in Muscat, Oman, amid the COVID-19 period. The study found a drastic decline in aircraft noise levels due to the introduction of COVID-19 intervention measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, and closure of airports. In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, average daily aircraft noise levels of LAeq (39.9 dB(A)) and Lmax (49.7 dB(A)) was observed compared to the previous year (April–May 2019) of 58.5 and 76.8 dB(A), indicating aircraft noise reductions level of 32% and 35%, respectively. The results of the online social survey among 187 participants showed that most (58.8%) of the respondents did not feel that the level of noise produced by aircraft causes annoyance. During the day, the vast majority of the interviewees did not complain of any annoyance during the morning (45.5%), afternoon (39.6%), and evening (31%) with only < 4% of residents have reported a very high degree of annoyance of during COVID-19 pandemic period. Very few people (17%) did complain of experiencing general health problems while 29% did not know of any potential health effects that could be attributed to aircraft noise exposures. Aircraft noise annoyance complaints among the As-Seeb residents during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic periods were reported to be extremely high reaching about 84% compared to 41% during this current COVID-19 pandemic period. These findings support the need to develop future sustainable noise mitigation policies in order to help reduce noise exposures and improve human health during post-COVID-19 pandemic periods.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-021-17514-2.

Annoyance due to residential road traffic and aircraft noise: Empirical evidence from two European cities

Based on a study in two European cities, Mainz in Germany and Zurich in Switzerland, the article investigates both acoustical and non-acoustical factors affecting indoor annoyance due to residential road traffic and aircraft noise. We specifically focus on three factors: (1) the role of windows as a feature of the building where people live; (2) the role of individual environmental concern as a general attitude; and (3) the role of household income as an indicator of socioeconomic resources. Empirical results show that closed windows in general and closed high-quality windows in particular are an important barrier against outdoor road traffic and aircraft noise, as well as a helpful subjective coping tool against corresponding annoyances. Environmental concern, too, proves to be a significant predictor of noise annoyance. Environmentally highly concerned people articulate feelings of annoyance more often than environmentally less concerned ones. As expected income is negatively related to road traffic noise annoyance. However, we find a positive association of income with annoyance from aircraft noise. Although objective exposure to aircraft noise is lower for high-income households, they feel stronger annoyed by noise from airplanes. Income shows various indirect effects on noise annoyance. A comparative analysis of road traffic and aircraft noise annoyance yields similarities, but also remarkable differences in terms of their influence factors.

Lärmbelästigung in der deutschen Allgemeinbevölkerung

HintergrundLärmbelästigung, insbesondere durch Verkehrslärm, stellt ein massives Problem in der Bevölkerung dar und ist mit gesundheitlichen Einschränkungen assoziiert.Ziel der ArbeitAnhand von Daten der bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Gutenberg-Gesundheitsstudie (GHS) werden die Prävalenz der Lärmbelästigung durch verschiedene Quellen sowie relevante Determinanten bestimmt.Material und MethodenDie GHS ist eine populationsbasierte, prospektive Kohortenstudie in Deutschland, die Personen im Alter von 35 bis 74 Jahren einbezieht. 15.010 Probanden aus der Stadt Mainz und dem Landkreis Mainz-Bingen wurden von 2007 bis 2012 befragt, inwiefern sie sich in letzter Zeit durch Flug‑, Straßen‑, Schienen‑, Industrie- und Nachbarschaftslärm belästigt gefühlt haben (Angaben von „überhaupt nicht“ bis „äußerst“). Es wurde jeweils zwischen der Lärmbelästigung am Tag sowie während des Schlafens differenziert. Um die Beziehungen zwischen soziodemographischen Variablen, kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren sowie Erkrankungen und Lärmbelästigung zu untersuchen, wurden multivariable logistische Regressionsmodelle verwendet.ErgebnisseEtwa 80 % der Probanden fühlten sich durch Lärm belästigt. Fluglärmbelästigung am Tag stellte die vorherrschende Lärmbelästigungsquelle mit der höchsten Prävalenz stark (9,6 %) und äußerst lärmbelästigter Probanden dar (5,4 %), gefolgt von Straßenverkehrs- (stark: 4,0 %; äußerst: 1,6 %) und Nachbarschaftslärmbelästigung (stark: 3,5 %; äußerst: 1,3 %). Die Lärmbelästigung nahm eher mit zunehmender Altersdekade ab. Relevante Determinanten der Lärmbelästigung umfassten mitunter Geschlecht, Alter, sozioökonomischen Status, Depression, Angststörung, Schlafstörung und Vorhofflimmern.DiskussionLärmbelästigung betrifft einen Großteil der Bevölkerung und ist assoziiert mit soziodemographischen Variablen und kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren sowie Erkrankungen.Zusatzmaterial onlineZusätzliche Informationen sind in der Online-Version dieses Artikels (10.1007/s00059-021-05060-z) enthalten.

The role of aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in the association between aircraft noise levels and medication use: results of a pooled-analysis from seven European countries

BackgroundFew studies have considered aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in analyses of the health effects of aircraft noise, especially in relation to medication use. This study aims to investigate the moderating and mediating role of these two factors in the relationship between aircraft noise levels and medication use among 5860 residents of ten European airports included in the HYENA and DEBATS studies.MethodsInformation on aircraft noise annoyance, noise sensitivity, medication use, and demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors was collected during a face-to-face interview at home. Medication was coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification. Outdoor aircraft noise exposure was estimated by linking the participant’s home address to noise contours using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) methods. Logistic regressions with adjustment for potential confounding factors were used. In addition, Baron and Kenny’s recommendations were followed to investigate the moderating and mediating effects of aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity.ResultsA significant association was found between aircraft noise levels at night and antihypertensive medication only in the UK (OR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.19–1.73 for a 10 dB(A)-increase in Lnight). No association was found with other medications. Aircraft noise annoyance was significantly associated with the use of antihypertensive medication (OR = 1.33, 95%CI 1.14–1.56), anxiolytics (OR = 1.48, 95%CI 1.08–2.05), hypnotics and sedatives (OR = 1.60, 95%CI 1.07–2.39), and antasthmatics (OR = 1.44, 95%CI 1.07–1.96), with no difference between countries. Noise sensitivity was significantly associated with almost all medications, with the exception of the use of antasthmatics, showing an increase in ORs with the level of noise sensitivity, with differences in ORs among countries only for the use of antihypertensive medication. The results also suggested a mediating role of aircraft noise annoyance and a modifying role of both aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in the association between aircraft noise levels and medication use.ConclusionsThe present study is consistent with the results of the small number of studies available to date suggesting that both aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity should be taken into account in analyses of the health effects of exposure to aircraft noise.

Self-rated health status in relation to aircraft noise exposure, noise annoyance or noise sensitivity: the results of a cross-sectional study in France

BackgroundNoise is a major public health issue because of its negative impacts on health, including annoyance, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular diseases and altered cognitive performance among children. Self-rated health status (SRHS) can be considered as a reliable indicator of quality of life, morbidity and mortality but few studies have considered SRHS in relation to aircraft noise exposure. The present study aims to investigate the association between this exposure and SRHS of people living near airports in France, and to consider the mediating or moderating role of aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in this association.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 1242 participants older than 18 and living near three major French airports. Information on their SRHS, aircraft noise annoyance, noise sensitivity and demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors was collected during a face-to-face interview performed at home. Outdoor aircraft noise levels were estimated for each participant’s home address using noise maps. Logistic regressions with adjustment for potential confounders were used. The moderating and mediating effects of aircraft noise annoyance and noise sensitivity were investigated following Baron and Kenny’s recommendations.ResultsA significant association was shown between aircraft noise levels and a fair/poor SRHS, only in men (OR=1.55, 95%CI 1.01–2.39, for a 10 dB(A)-increase in Lden). This relationship was higher in men highly sensitive to noise (OR=3.26, 95%CI 1.19–8.88, for a 10 dB(A)-increase in Lden). Noise sensitivity was associated with a fair/poor SRHS significantly in women (OR=1.74, 95%CI 1.12–2.68) and at the borderline of significance in men (OR=1.68, 95% CI 0.94–3.00), whereas aircraft noise annoyance was associated with a fair/poor SRHS only in men (OR=1.81, 95%CI 1.00–3.27).ConclusionThe present study confirms findings in the small number of available studies to date suggesting a positive association between aircraft noise levels and a fair/poor SRHS. These results also support the hypothesis that noise sensitivity would moderate this association. However, a mediating effect of annoyance cannot be excluded.

Aircraft Noise Levels, Annoyance and General Health of Residents of Communities contiguous to a Major Airport in Lagos State

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the aircraft noise exposure, annoyance reactions and health status of the residents living within the vicinity of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) in Lagos state, Nigeria. Aircraft noise monitoring was conducted in five locations within the vicinity (0-5Km) of MMA, and a sixth distant location (14km away). Levels of aircraft noise for all five locations within the vicinity of the airport exceeded the EPA Victoria threshold of 75 dB LAmax for the residential area (outdoor). A survey on annoyance induced by aircraft noise exposure and general health status was conducted on 450 local residents in the study locations using the International Commission on Biological Effect of Noise question and a single question that has been applied in Dutch national health care surveys since 1983 on self-reported general health status respectively. Percentage of residents within the vicinity of MMA that were highly annoyed (%HA) exceeded 15% guideline limit stipulated by Federal Interagency Committee on Urban Noise while 14.5% reported poor health status. There was a significant association between the annoyance reactions and aircraft noise levels in the study locations while the association between self-reported health status and aircraft noise levels was not significant. Taken together, the residents within the vicinity of the airport are exposed to aircraft noise levels above permissible limit which may be associated with high annoyance reaction but may not be associated with poor health rating. Evidence-based aircraft noise related policies by government are advocated.

Ray tracing for efficient simulation of curved sound propagation paths: Towards real-time auralization of aircraft noise

Thanks to modern auralization methods, simulated aircraft flyovers can be experienced in virtual environments. Listening to such an auralization provides a more sophisticated impression of annoyance of aircraft noise in real scenarios than reading averaged sound pressure levels or noise maps. For proper auralization results, translation and refraction due to wind and to inhomogeneity of the atmosphere should be taken into account, which leads to curved sound propagation paths. However, state of the art auralization tools including these effects do not allow real-time simulations on CPUs. In this work, an efficient ray tracing tool for simulating curved propagation paths between an aircraft and a listener is introduced. The performance and limitations are discussed for a typical aircraft trajectory. The benchmark results suggest that real-time auralization of aircraft noise using ray tracing is possible if the processing of propagation paths in the overlying auralization framework is extended accordingly.