Search

International audience; In 2013 and 2014, two main International Airports in Greece were evaluated through the European directive on noise environment 2002/49/EC: "Nikos Kazantzakis" International Airport of Heraklion Crete and "Ioannis-Kapodistrias" International Airport in Corfu, both located in highly touristic areas of Greece. Acoustic measurement's campaign, environmental noise mapping simulations and population exposure to noise were implemented in order to produce a complete Strategic Noise Map. Correlated to this acoustic approach, a comprehensive interview campaign and a detailed soundscape analysis were also conducted in both airports' adjacent areas (Alikarnassos district in Heraklion and the peninsula of Canoni in Corfu City) in order to understand the impact of aircraft movements on both local residents and tourists, and analyze the perception of the soundscapes. A similar evaluation was also executed in order to assess possible health effects by using the WHO's DALY's (Disability Adjusted Life Year) metrics for environmental noise in relation to the exposure of the population. This paper presents the main results of these representative case studies, attempting a combined assessment of both health effects and soundscape characteristics to be used as evaluation tools towards the management and the rehabilitation acoustic environment characterized mainly by aircraft noise in touristic areas.

International audience; Within the frame of European directive 2002/49 for Strategic Noise Mapping and the relevant environmental Noise Action Plans, which included preparation for the management of environmental noise and the rehabilitation of the sound environment, Greece had the opportunity to develop an innovative and comprehensive methodology to analyze the sound environments of several urban and semi-urban residential neighborhoods in the large and medium-size cities of the country e.g., Volos, Larissa, Heraklion, Chania, Agrinio, Corfu, and Thessaloniki, between 2012 and 2016. This paper presents the determined multidisciplinary approach, showing how the environmental noise data are cross-analyzed with urban and architectural data and perception descriptors by inhabitants. Furthermore, it shows how these specific results have been implemented in the developed noise actions plans that have been proposed to the authorities for immediate implementation. Finally, the paper discusses the necessary development of this approach to reduce noise exposure problems, as well as assist the cities in their evolution toward the introduction of a sustainable urban sound environment.

Underwater sound is a critical tool for aquatic animals that communicate acoustically or exploit environmental sounds to find prey,avoid predators,for orientation.The interference of various anthopogenic and natural sound sources can make it difficult to distinguish biologically relevant sounds and can even cause physical damage to these animals.This has given rise to international concern about possible effects of anthropogenic sound sources on marine life due to increasing shipping traffic,exploitation of oil and gas reserves and the development of new offshore energy sources.In this thesis, the spatial, temporal and spectral distributions of sound generated by anthropogenic and natural sources in the Dutch North Sea are investigated. In order to achieve this aim, the acoustic propagation algorithms are developed;compared with other propagation methods;source characteristics are modelled;and the resulting sound distribution is mapped for each source type.The acoustic insights and mathematical tool box that came out should help policy makers, legislators, biologists and conservationists and may serve in ecological monitoring and impact assessments, guide marine research efforts and may be used to determine potential regions or periods of acoustic conflict between human activities and aquatic life.

The SONIC (Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation) and AQUO (Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction) projects were awarded within the European Seventh Framework Program to develop tools to investigate and mitigate the effects of underwater sound generated by shipping activities on marine life. Model generated sound maps were identified by the European Commission as a monitoring tool to complement measurements. Sound mapping tools are being developed to provide a representation of shipping sound that is both meaningful to policy makers without requiring a background in acoustics and representative of the phenomena relevant to environmental impact. The accuracy of the end result depends on the quality of the source description as well as that of the propagation model used to compute the sources’ combined contributions. In this paper we concentrate on the propagation models used for this purpose. A shipping sound map is usually expected to cover a large geographical area, including a large number of sources radiating sound over a broadband spectrum of frequencies. These requirements place restrictions on the choice of a propagation model. The challenges specific to computation of sound maps and the variety of possible approaches available to address them make it worthwhile to compare the output of different approaches, as well as with reference model solutions when available. For this purpose, five test cases were defined by scientists of the AQUO (“Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction”) and SONIC (“Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation”) consortia. These test cases, defined with increased complexity are specified in this paper and presented with example solutions computed with a variety of models. The purpose of these test cases and associated results is to facilitate evaluation of a given sound map computation system.

The SONIC (Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation) and AQUO (Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction) projects were awarded within the European Seventh Framework Program to develop tools to investigate and mitigate the effects of underwater sound generated by shipping activities on marine life. Model generated sound maps were identified by the European Commission as a monitoring tool to complement measurements. Sound mapping tools are being developed to provide a representation of shipping sound that is both meaningful to policy makers without requiring a background in acoustics and representative of the phenomena relevant to environmental impact. The accuracy of the end result depends on the quality of the source description as well as that of the propagation model used to compute the sources’ combined contributions. In this paper we concentrate on the propagation models used for this purpose. A shipping sound map is usually expected to cover a large geographical area, including a large number of sources radiating sound over a broadband spectrum of frequencies. These requirements place restrictions on the choice of a propagation model. The challenges specific to computation of sound maps and the variety of possible approaches available to address them make it worthwhile to compare the output of different approaches, as well as with reference model solutions when available. For this purpose, five test cases were defined by scientists of the AQUO (“Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction”) and SONIC (“Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation”) consortia. These test cases, defined with increased complexity are specified in this paper and presented with example solutions computed with a variety of models. The purpose of these test cases and associated results is to facilitate evaluation of a given sound map computation system.

There is an increasing concern that anthropogenic underwater noise may have a negative impact on marine life. Governmental authorities are introducing regulations to address this problem. The European Commission, for instance, has adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requiring EU Member States to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status, regarding underwater noise amongst other forms of pollution. A task group (the technical sub-group on underwater noise) has formulated indicators for underwater noise pollution, resulting in an advice to monitor low frequency sound in particular frequency bands (sound pressure level in the third-octave bands centred at 63 Hz and 125 Hz). Model generated sound maps were identified as a monitoring tool to complement measurements. Recently, the SONIC (Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation) project was awarded within the European Seventh Framework Program to develop tools to investigate and mitigate the effects of underwater noise generated by shipping activities. In this paper, we will present the SONIC approach to generate shipping sound maps. The sound map generation tool uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) as well as biological distribution data to generate maps representative of the sound exposure that marine mammals and fish would experience. This tool uses a fast acoustic model developed specifically for this purpose that was compared to normal modes and parabolic equation models. Results of the models compared with reference models are presented in this paper.

Regulations for protecting and preserving the marine environment (e.g. in the USA and EU) often require investigating the potential effect of anthropogenic sound on marine life. The origin of underwater sound can be natural as well as anthropogenic. To assess the potential importance of various types of sounds, we constructed sound maps for the Dutch North Sea for both natural sources (i.e. wind and rain) and anthropogenic sources (shipping, explosions, and seismic surveys). Different sources affect different species, because of different frequency ranges or because of their distribution in time (e.g., continuous or intermittent; changing suddenly or gradually). Our maps take into account different averaging times, different swimming depths and frequency-weighting according to different hearing sensitivities. The underwater acoustic propagation is modeled mathematically by combining Weston’s average intensity method and adiabatic normal mode theory, which can provide fast and accurate results without calculation of normal mode eigenvalues and tracing rays. These maps, combined with information on species distribution and their physiological and behavioural reactions to sound, provide a useful indicator for understanding the impact of sound on marine life in the Dutch part of North Sea.

Regulations for protecting and preserving the marine environment (e.g. in the USA and EU) often require investigating the potential effect of anthropogenic sound on marine life. The origin of underwater sound can be natural as well as anthropogenic. To assess the potential importance of various types of sounds, we constructed sound maps for the Dutch North Sea for both natural sources (i.e. wind and rain) and anthropogenic sources (shipping, explosions, and seismic surveys). Different sources affect different species, because of different frequency ranges or because of their distribution in time (e.g., continuous or intermittent; changing suddenly or gradually). Our maps take into account different averaging times, different swimming depths and frequency-weighting according to different hearing sensitivities. The underwater acoustic propagation is modeled mathematically by combining Weston’s average intensity method and adiabatic normal mode theory, which can provide fast and accurate results without calculation of normal mode eigenvalues and tracing rays. These maps, combined with information on species distribution and their physiological and behavioural reactions to sound, provide a useful indicator for understanding the impact of sound on marine life in the Dutch part of North Sea.

There is an increasing concern that anthropogenic underwater noise may have a negative impact on marine life. Governmental authorities are introducing regulations to address this problem. The European Commission, for instance, has adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requiring EU Member States to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status, regarding underwater noise amongst other forms of pollution. A task group (the technical sub-group on underwater noise) has formulated indicators for underwater noise pollution, resulting in an advice to monitor low frequency sound in particular frequency bands (sound pressure level in the third-octave bands centred at 63 Hz and 125 Hz). Model generated sound maps were identified as a monitoring tool to complement measurements. Recently, the SONIC (Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation) project was awarded within the European Seventh Framework Program to develop tools to investigate and mitigate the effects of underwater noise generated by shipping activities. In this paper, we will present the SONIC approach to generate shipping sound maps. The sound map generation tool uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) as well as biological distribution data to generate maps representative of the sound exposure that marine mammals and fish would experience. This tool uses a fast acoustic model developed specifically for this purpose that was compared to normal modes and parabolic equation models. Results of the models compared with reference models are presented in this paper.

A través de un análisis a partir de la observación participante de distintas prácticas de difusión y presentación de proyectos dentro del campo del paisajismo sonoro, se pretende trazar un panorama metodológico acerca de como colectivos y artistas afrontan la vertiente comunicacional del hecho sonoro y como este es expuesto ante un público. Esta investigación relaciona dos modelos de exposición y difusión de trabajos dentro del arte sonoro y la fonografía a partir del uso del Mapa Sonoro como representación visual de una realidad acústica y a través de la práctica de los netlabels, sellos independientes que distribuyen de forma libre propuestas de músicas experimentales y más concretamente paisaje sonoro y/o fonografía. ABSTRACT: Through an analysis from a participant observation of various practices of dissemination and presentation of projects in the field of soundscapism, this text intends to provide an overview on how collectives and artists face the communicative aspect of sound practice as this is exposed to an audience. This research aims to relate two models of exposure and dissemination of work in sound art and phonography from the Sound Map used as a visual representation of a sound reality and through the practice of netlabels, independent labels that distribute free experimental music and more specifically soundscape and / or phonography.