Office of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports
FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-74/9
Title and Subtitle: Behavioral, autonomic, and subjective reactions to low- and moderate-level sonic booms: A report of two experiments and a general evaluation of sonic boom startle effects
Report Date: September 1974
Authors: Thackray RI, Touchstone RM, Bailey JP
Abstract: Two separate studies are reported. The first attempted to determine a sonic boom exposure level below which startle reactions would not occur. Subjects were exposed indoors to six simulated sonic booms having various outside overpressures. In the second study, subjects were exposed indoors to a series of 12 simulated booms in order to assess habitual effects. Automatic and eyeblink responses, as well as ratings of subjective annoyance, were obtained in both studies. The final section of the report summarizes the expected behavioral, autonomic, and subjective effects of exposure to various levels of sonic booms.
Key Words: Annoyance, Noise, Performance, Sonic Booms, Startle
No. of Pages: 14
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-74/9
Title and Subtitle: Behavioral, autonomic, and subjective reactions to low- and moderate-level sonic booms: A report of two experiments and a general evaluation of sonic boom startle effects
Report Date: September 1974
Authors: Thackray RI, Touchstone RM, Bailey JP
Abstract: Two separate studies are reported. The first attempted to determine a sonic boom exposure level below which startle reactions would not occur. Subjects were exposed indoors to six simulated sonic booms having various outside overpressures. In the second study, subjects were exposed indoors to a series of 12 simulated booms in order to assess habitual effects. Automatic and eyeblink responses, as well as ratings of subjective annoyance, were obtained in both studies. The final section of the report summarizes the expected behavioral, autonomic, and subjective effects of exposure to various levels of sonic booms.
Key Words: Annoyance, Noise, Performance, Sonic Booms, Startle
No. of Pages: 14
Last updated: Friday, June 1, 2012