Statistical analysis of community response to low amplitude sonic boom noise

The Waveform and Sonicboom Perception and Response (WSPR) Program conducted a field study of subjective response to noise from multiple low-amplitude sonic booms. The team was led by Wyle and included researchers from Penn State, Tetra Tech and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. The test exposed residents in the Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) Housing area to two weeks of low-amplitude sonic booms while recording their responses via surveys. There were 52 participants divided across three response modes. The response instruments included Baseline Surveys, Single Event Surveys submitted each time a participant heard a boom, and Daily Surveys submitted at the end of each day. The analysis included assessments of single events and cumulative daily ratings of annoyance and categorical variables including loudness, interference, startle, vibration, and rattle. The WSPR daily annoyance data was analyzed by computing percent highly annoyed (%HA) and relating it to the cumulative noise exposure and by relating the subjective annoyance rating directly to the daily noise exposure. The WSPR design was established to cover the full range of noise exposures and annoyance factors so that sufficient data would be gathered to facilitate analyses of %HA and noise metrics. The statistical analyses examining these relationships will be presented.