Infrasound Exposure: High-Resolution Measurements Near Wind Power Plants

Abstract

This chapter focuses on infrasonic (≤20 Hz) noise exposure as captured in and around homes located in the vicinity of wind power plants. Despite persistent noise complaints by local residents, no satisfactory acoustical event has yet been identified to justify this troublesome (worldwide) situation. Continuous (days), high-resolution recordings—spectral segmentation of 1/36 of an octave and 1-second temporal increments—have been acquired in many homes across the world revealing the presence of wind turbine acoustic signatures. These consist of trains of airborne pressure pulses, identified in the frequency domain as harmonic series with the fundamental frequency equal to that of the blade-pass frequency of the wind turbine. This report documents three such cases (Portugal and Scotland). The highest peaks of the wind turbine acoustic signature (up to 25 dB over background noise) occurred within the 0.5–5 Hz window which is classically defined as below the human hearing threshold; and yet these ‘inaudible’ phenomena appear to trigger severe biological reactions. Based on the prominence of the peaks in the harmonic series, a new measure is proposed for use in determining dose–response relationships for infrasonic exposures. This new methodology may be applicable to infrasonic exposures in both environmental and occupational settings.