Catoctin Mountain Park: Acoustic monitoring report 2017

Carpenter, Grace

doi:10.36967/nrr-2286609

This report presents acoustical data gathered by the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) at Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO) in July and August of 2017. Data were collected at three sites to provide park managers with information about the acoustical environment, sources of noise, and the existing ambient sound levels within the park. In these deployments, sound pressure level (SPL) was measured continuously every second by a calibrated sound level meter. Other equipment included an anemometer to collect wind speed and a digital audio recorder collecting continuous recordings to document sound sources. In this document, “sound pressure level” refers to broadband (12.5 Hz–20 kHz), A-weighted, 1-second time averaged sound level (LAeq, 1s), and hereafter referred to as “sound level.” Sound levels are measured on a logarithmic scale relative to the reference sound pressure for atmospheric sources, 20 µPa. The logarithmic scale is a useful way to express the wide range of sound pressures perceived by the human ear. Sound levels are reported in decibels (dB). A-weighting is applied to sound levels to account for the response of the human ear (Harris, 1998). To approximate human hearing sensitivity, A-weighting discounts sounds below 1 kHz and above 6 kHz. For reference, Table 1 provides examples of sound levels measured in parks compared to sound levels of common sources. Overall, existing ambient sound levels (LA50) at sites within (CATO ranged from 36.0 to 40.8 dB during the day and 37.6 to 42.3 dB at night. Table 2 reports the percent of time that measured levels at the monitoring locations were above four key sound level values. The first value, 35 dB (LAeq, 1s), addresses the health effects of sleep interruption. Recent studies suggest that sound events as low as 35 dB can have adverse effects on blood pressure in sleeping humans (Haralabidis et al. 2008). This level, 35 dB, is also the desired background sound level in classrooms (ANSI S12.60-2002). The second value addresses the World Health Organization’s recommendations that noise levels inside bedrooms remain below 45 dB (LAeq, 1s) (Berglund et al. 1999). The third value, 52 dB (LAeq, 1s), is based on the EPA’s speech interference level for speaking in a raised voice to an audience at 10 meters (EPA 1974). This value addresses the effects of sound on interpretive presentations in parks. The final value, 60 dB (LAeq, 1s), provides a basis for estimating speech interference on normal voice communications at 1 meter. Visitors viewing scenic areas in the park would likely be conducting such conversations.

Catoctin Mountain Park: Acoustic monitoring report 2017

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