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are calculated on a logarithmic basis. An increase of 10 decibels represents a ten-fold increase in <br /> acoustic energy, while 20 decibels is 100 times more intense, 30 decibels is 1,000 times more <br /> intense, etc. There is a relationship between the subjective noisiness or loudness of a sound and <br /> its intensity. Each 10 decibel increase in sound level is perceived as approximately a doubling of <br /> loudness over a fairly wide range of intensities. Technical terms are defined in Table 1. <br /> TABLE 1 Definitions of Acoustical Terms Used in this Report <br /> Term Definition <br /> A unit describing,the amplitude of sound,equal to 20 times the logarithm to the <br /> Decibel, dB base 10 of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference <br /> pressure. The reference pressure for air is 20. <br /> Sound pressure is the sound force per unit area,usually expressed in micro <br /> Pascals(or 20 micro Newtons per square meter), where I Pascal is the pressure <br /> resulting from a force of l Newton exerted over an area of 1 square meter. The <br /> Sound Pressure Level sound pressure level is expressed in decibels as 20 times the logarithm to the base <br /> 10 of the ratio between the pressures exerted by the sound to a reference sound <br /> pressure (e.g.,20 micro Pascals). Sound pressure level is the quantity that is <br /> directly measured by a sound level meter. <br /> The number of complete pressure fluctuations per second above and below <br /> Frequency, Hz atmospheric pressure. Normal human hearing is between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. <br /> Infrasonic sound are below 20 Hz and Ultrasonic sounds are above 20,000 Hz. <br /> The sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the <br /> A-Weighted Sound A-weighting filter network. The A-weighting filter de-emphasizes the very low <br /> Level, dBA and very high frequency components of the sound in a manner similar to the <br /> frequency response of the human ear and correlates well with subjective reactions <br /> to noise, <br /> Equivalent Noise Level, <br /> L The average A-weighted noise level during the measurement period. <br /> The maximum and minimum A-weighted noise level during the measurement <br /> Lmax, Lmin <br /> period. <br /> The A-weighted noise levels that are exceeded 1%, 10%, 50%,and 90%of the <br /> Lot, Ltp, <br /> 1-50, L90 time during the measurement period. <br /> Day/Night Noise Level, The average A-weighted noise level during a 24-hour day,obtained after addition <br /> Ldn or DNL of 10 decibels to levels measured in the night between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am. <br /> Community Noise The average A-weighted noise level during a 24-hour day,obtained after addition <br /> Equivalent Level, of 5 decibels in the evening from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm and after addition of 10 <br /> CNEL decibels to sound levels measured in the night between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am. <br /> The composite of noise from all sources near and far. The normal or existing <br /> Ambient Noise Level level of environmental noise at a given location. <br /> That noise which intrudes over and above the existing ambient noise at a given <br /> Intrusive location. The relative intrusiveness of a sound depends upon its amplitude, <br /> duration,frequency,and time of occurrence and tonal or informational content as <br /> well as the prevailing ambient noise level, <br /> Source: Handbook of Acoustical Measurements and Noise Control,Harris, 1998. <br /> There are several methods of characterizing sound. The most common method in California is <br /> the A-weighted sound level or dBA. This scale gives greater weight to the frequencies of sound to <br /> Page 4 <br /> J <br />