28.02.2013 Views

Introduction to Acoustics

Introduction to Acoustics

Introduction to Acoustics

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

810 Part F Biological and Medical <strong>Acoustics</strong><br />

Part F 20.1<br />

20°<br />

40°<br />

60°<br />

dB 0 –10 –20 –30<br />

–20°<br />

–40°<br />

120 kHz<br />

–60°<br />

60 kHz<br />

80°<br />

30 kHz<br />

100°<br />

–80° –100°<br />

(T. truncatus)<br />

H 31 TI 18<br />

20°<br />

40°<br />

60°<br />

dB 0 –10 –20 –30<br />

–20°<br />

–40°<br />

30 kHz<br />

60 kHz<br />

120 kHz<br />

–60°<br />

80°<br />

100°<br />

–80° –100°<br />

(T. truncatus)<br />

H 31 TI 18<br />

Fig. 20.4 Receive beam patterns in the vertical and horizontal planes for frequencies of 30, 60 and 120 kHz. The relative<br />

masked thresholds as a function of the elevation angle of the asking noise source are plotted for each signal frequency<br />

(after Au and Moore, [20.28])<br />

line with the bite plate and its acoustic output was held<br />

constant. Masked thresholds were measured for different<br />

angular position of the noise transducer along the<br />

arc. The level of the noise was varied in order <strong>to</strong> obtain<br />

the masked threshold. A threshold estimate was considered<br />

complete when at least 20 reversals (10 per session)<br />

at a test angle had been obtained over at least two consecutive<br />

sessions, and if the average reversal values of<br />

the two sessions were within 3 dB. After a threshold estimate<br />

was achieved, the noise transducer was moved<br />

<strong>to</strong> a new azimuth over a set of randomly predesignated<br />

azimuths. As the azimuth about the dolphin’s head increased,<br />

the hearing sensitivity of the dolphin tended <strong>to</strong><br />

decrease, requiring higher levels of masking noise from<br />

a transducer located at that azimuth <strong>to</strong> mask the signal<br />

from a source located directly ahead of the animal.<br />

The receiving beam patterns in both the vertical and<br />

horizontal plane are plotted for signal frequencies of 30,<br />

60 and 120 kHz in Fig. 20.4. The radial axis of Fig. 20.4<br />

represents the difference in dB between the noise level<br />

needed <strong>to</strong> mask the test signal at any azimuth and the<br />

minimum noise level needed <strong>to</strong> mask the test signal<br />

at the azimuth corresponding <strong>to</strong> the major axis of the<br />

vertical beam. The shape of the beams in Fig. 20.4 indicates<br />

that the patterns were dependent on frequency,<br />

becoming narrower, or more directional as the frequency<br />

increased. The beam of a planar hydrophone also becomes<br />

narrower as frequency increases. The 3 dB beam<br />

widths were approximately 30.4 ◦ ,22.7 ◦ , and 17.0 ◦ for<br />

frequencies of 30, 60, and 120 kHz, respectively. There<br />

was also an asymmetry between the portion of the beam<br />

above and below the dolphin’s head. The shape of the<br />

beams dropped off more rapidly as the angle above the<br />

animal’s head increased than for angles below the animal’s<br />

head, indicating a more rapid decrease in the<br />

animal’s hearing sensitivity for angles above the head<br />

than for angles below the head. If the dolphin receives<br />

sounds through the lower jaw, the more rapid reduction<br />

in hearing sensitivity for angles above the head may<br />

have been caused by shadowing of the received sound<br />

by the upper portion of the head structure including air<br />

in the nasal sacs [20.29]. There is a slight peculiarity in<br />

the 60 kHz beam which shows almost the same masked<br />

threshold values for 15 ◦ and 25 ◦ elevation angles.<br />

The radial line passing through the angle of maximum<br />

sensitivity is commonly referred <strong>to</strong> as the major

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!