Aircraft noise propagation in coastal areas

Department of Defense (DoD) environmental noise management efforts employ computer models to project noise exposure around military installations, ranges, and operating areas. Both the DoD airfield noise model (noisemap) and the heavy weapons noise model (bnoise) assume propagation over land. In order to ensure the accuracy of these models for Navy and Marine Corps installations in coastal areas, the U.S. Navy has been funding studies of propagation over water. These studies have included: (1) joint work with the Swedish Air Force, (2) helicopter noise measurements along the southern California shore, (3) aircraft noise propagation studies in Florida and California, and (4) studies of gun fire propagation at the land–water boundary. Lessons learned from these efforts have been incorporated into the design of a new study of aircraft noise to be conducted this year.