The Influence of Nocturnal Aircraft Noise on Humans -a New Comprehensive Approach

摘要

The DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne investigates the influence of nocturnal aircraft noise on human sleep and performance. 128 healthy volunteers aged 18-65 are being examined in four studies during 13 consecutive nights (23:00-07:00) in our sleep laboratory. The results will be validated in 2 field studies investigating 64 volunteers, thus 2496 nights in total will be observed. Various physiological signals are sampled: polysomnographic measurements (EEG, EOG, EMG), the electrocardiogram, finger pulse amplitude, respiration and actigraphy. The stress parameters cortisole, epinephrine and nor-epinephrine are extracted from nocturnal urine samples. The AGARD-Stres battery is used to examine the possible interference of aircraft noise induced sleep disturbances with mental performance. In order to measure state and stress reactions, psychometric questionnaires are filled out twice a day. In 9 of the 13 nights of the laboratory studies, aircraft noise with varying frequencies of occurrence (4 to 128 events) and noise levels ranging from 50 to 80 dB L_(AS.max) (L_(AS.eq(3)) 31.2-52.6 dB) is presented by loudspeakers. Correct playback is assured by re-measurements of terz levels in each bedroom. The noise has been recorded in bedrooms with closed or half-closed windows of residents living near an airport using a class 1 noise level meter. Since all parameters are stored simultaneously on hard disk, analysis and correlation of single noise events with physiological parameters are possible. The design of the laboratory studies will be presented in detail. As in December 2001 data collection of three of the four groups will be finished, some preliminary results may also be presented.