Sound Generation by Aircraft Wake Vortices

Details

• Creators:
  Hardin, Jay C. ; Wang, Frank Y.
• Corporate Creators:
  Titan Systems Corporation ; John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
• Corporate Contributors:
  Langley Research Center
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Aircraft
  • Wakes
  • Vortices
  • Mathematical models
  • Tracking systems
  • Velocity
  • Sound
  • Airplanes
  • Noise
  • Airports
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  NASA/CR-2003-212674
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Abstract:
  This report provides an extensive analysis of potential wake vortex noise sources that might be utilized to aid in their tracking. Several possible mechanisms of aircraft vortex sound generation are examined on the basis of discrete vortex dynamic models and characteristic acoustic signatures calculated by application of vortex sound theory. It is shown that the most robust mechanisms result in very low frequency infrasound. An instability of the vortex core structure is discussed and shown to be a possible mechanism for generating higher frequency sound bordering the audible frequency range. However, the frequencies produced are still low and cannot explain the reasonably high-pitched sound that has occasionally been observed.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/39666/dot_39666_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 570.26 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Volpe Center
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:99f6d93e56a6f9a88ee790c885bde434c4cd149969736198fd3d305eebf4ba57