Accession Number:

AD0773451

Title:

Sonic Boom Startle Effects--Report of a Field Study,

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

CIVIL AEROMEDICAL INST OKLAHOMA CITY OKLA

Personal Author(s):

• Thackray,Richard I.
• Rylander,Ragnar
• Touchstone,R. Mark

Report Date:

1973-07-01

Pagination or Media Count:

20.0

Abstract:

The study reports the results of a sonic boom field study conducted in Sweden during October 1972. Ten female subjects were tested indoors on each of six days. Two age groups were studied 20-35 and 50-65 years. Fighter aircraft flying at various heights over the test site produced booms with outdoor overpressures ranging from 60-640 Nsq.m. The number of booms extended from 5 to 13 per day. Subjects performed indoors on an arm-hand steadiness task. The results indicated that outdoor overpressures ranging from 70-120 Nsq.m. 26-35 Nsq.m. indoors produced reflexive arm-hand movements in about 10 per cent of the subjects. Booms of 300 Nsq.m. 67 Nsq.m. indoors and greater produced responses in about 75 per cent of the subjects. Between these extremes of overpressure there was the suggestion of a critical overpressure range lying between 150-180 Nsq.m. 40-46 Nsq.m. indoors in which an abrupt increase in startle response occurred. Modified author abstract

Descriptors:

• *SONIC BOOM
• *NOISE POLLUTION
• AVIATION MEDICINE
• PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
• SOUND
• STIMULATION(GENERAL)
• REACTION(PSYCHOLOGY)
• STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• THRESHOLDS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• SWEDEN
• FEMALES

Subject Categories:

• Stress Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE