Resources

This page contains information for those wishing to learn more about the field of acoustics. More topics will be added periodically.

Noise and Environmental Acoustics

Many standards exist at the federal level for noise through agencies such as HUD, the FAA, OSHA, and the FHWA. However, regulation and enforcement are generally carried out at the state and local levels.

Federal

• Noise Pollution Clearinghouse
• The HUD Noise Guidebook
• OSHA

Arizona

• Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Noise Abatement Policy
• City of Tucson Code of Ordinances See section 16-31. Excessive noise.

Some Acoustical Research Fields

Thermoacoustics

Thermoacoustics engines are heat engines with typically one or no moving parts. A TASHE (thermoacoustic Stirling heat engine) uses the highly efficient Stirling cycle to turn heat into linear mechanical or electrical power. The heat source may be solar and the small number of parts required make these engines easy to manufacture in places without sophisticated manufacturing capabilities. By reversing the principle of the thermoacoustic engine, thermoacoustics can be used for refrigeration and has already found commercial applications in cryogenic cooling and on the space shuttle.

• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Penn State

Infrasound

Infrasound has been used for decades to detect nuclear explosions and enforce the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. However, application of infrasound to geology and atmospheric science are relatively new. Many infrasonic events have yet to be identified.

• Southern Methodist University
• Inframatics

Professional Organizations

• The Acoustical Society of America (ASA)
• The Audio Engineering Society (AES)
• Acta Acustica united with Acustica / European Acoustics Association (EAA)
• The Acoustical Society of Japan
• The American Loudspeaker Manufacturers Association (ALMA)