{"id":18396,"date":"2011-12-17T21:11:05","date_gmt":"2011-12-18T02:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/static\/?p=18396"},"modified":"2014-07-02T09:16:18","modified_gmt":"2014-07-02T13:16:18","slug":"acousticians-confirm-wind-turbine-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/2011\/acousticians-confirm-wind-turbine-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Acousticians confirm Wind Turbine Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The Bruce McPherson Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Study: \u00a0<\/span>Adverse Health Effects Produced by Large Industrial Wind Turbines Confirmed”<\/h3>\n

\u2014Stephen E. Ambrose, INCE (Brd. Cert.) &\u00a0Robert W. Rand<\/a>, INCE Member<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Executive Summary \u00a0(c<\/span><\/span>lick<\/span>\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0for the full report)<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n

The idea that infrasound doesn’t or can’t affect the ear<\/a> is just flat-out wrong.”
\n<\/span>.<\/span>
\n\u2014Dr. Alec Salt<\/a>,\u00a0Dept of Otolaryngology,
\nWashington University School of Medicine
\nSt. Louis, Missouri<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This study was commissioned through a private philanthropic grant created to determine why\u00a0there were so many strong complaints about the loss of well-being and hardships experienced by\u00a0people living near large industrial wind turbines operating in Falmouth, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0purpose of this study was to investigate and confirm or deny the presence of infrasonic and low\u00a0frequency noise emissions (ILFN) from the \u201cWIND 1\u201d, a municipally-owned Vestas V82\u00a0industrial wind turbine.<\/p>\n

In March of 2011, after many months of vigorous neighborhood\u00a0complaints and strong appeals to the town, selectmen voluntarily decided to curtail WIND 1\u00a0operations when hub height wind speed exceeded 10 m\/s. This required that this study focus on\u00a0noise emissions from the nearby \u201cNOTUS\u201d wind turbine, an identical make and model..<\/p>\n

Acoustics<\/h4>\n

This study was conducted at a representative neighbor’s home in Falmouth and confirmed that\u00a0there are dynamically modulated low frequency acoustic amplitudes and tones produced by the\u00a0nearby wind turbine.<\/p>\n

Dynamic amplitude modulations occurred at 1.4 second intervals that were\u00a0consistent with the blades rotating past the wind turbine tower (the blade pass rate).<\/p>\n

Dynamic\u00a0amplitude modulations below 10 Hz were stronger indoors than outdoors. Modulations\u00a0measured indoors were 0.2 Pascal peak to peak, consisting mostly of energy below 20 Hz. Two\u00a0tones were detected from both the NOTUS and the WIND 1 turbines, at 22.9 Hz and 129 Hz, and\u00a0are considered signatures of the wind turbines’ acoustic profile.<\/p>\n

Outdoors, the A-weighted sound\u00a0level decreased at a predictable rate of 6 dB per doubling of distance from the nearest turbine.<\/p>\n

The linear unweighted sound level decreased according to cylindrical spreading at 3 dB per\u00a0doubling of distance and was controlled by acoustic energy below 20 Hertz. A-weighting does\u00a0not reveal this low-frequency information. Sound-level averaging with Leq for any time length\u00a0hides the low-frequency dynamic amplitude modulations.<\/p>\n

Health effects<\/h4>\n

The investigators were surprised to experience the same adverse health symptoms described by\u00a0neighbors living at this house and near other large industrial wind turbine sites.<\/p>\n

The onset of\u00a0adverse health effects was swift, within twenty minutes, and persisted for some time after leaving\u00a0the study area. The dBA and dBC levels and modulations did not correlate to the health effects\u00a0experienced. However, the strength and modulation of the un-weighted and dBG-weighted\u00a0levels increased indoors, consistent with worsened health effects experienced indoors.<\/p>\n

The dBG weighted\u00a0level appeared to be controlled by in-flow turbulence and exceeded physiological\u00a0thresholds for response to low-frequency and infrasonic acoustic energy as theorized by Salt<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The wind turbine tone at 22.9 Hz was not audible, yet the modulated amplitudes regularly\u00a0exceeded vestibular detection thresholds. The 22.9 Hz tone lies in the brain’s “high Beta” wave\u00a0range (associated with alert state, anxiety, and “fight or flight” stress reactions). The brain’s\u00a0frequency following response<\/em> (FFR) could be involved in maintaining an alert state during sleeping hours, which could lead to health effects.<\/p>\n

Sleep was disturbed during the study when\u00a0the wind turbine operated with hub height wind speeds above 10 m\/s.<\/p>\n

It took about a week to\u00a0recover from the adverse health effects experienced during the study, with lingering recurring\u00a0nausea and vertigo for almost seven weeks for one of the investigators..<\/p>\n

Further epidemiological and laboratory research needed<\/h4>\n

The research is more than just suggestive. Our experiencing of the adverse health effects\u00a0reported by others confirms that industrial wind turbines can produce real discomfort and\u00a0adverse health impacts. Further research could confirm that these ill effects are caused by\u00a0pressure pulsations exceeding vestibular thresholds, unrelated to the audible frequency spectrum\u00a0but are instead related to the response of the vestibular system to the low frequency noise\u00a0emissions. The vestibular system appears to be stimulated by responding to these pressure\u00a0pulsations rather than by motion or disease, especially at low ambient sound levels.<\/p>\n

Dysfunctions in the vestibular system can cause disequilibrium, nausea, vertigo, anxiety, and\u00a0panic attacks, which have been reported near a number of industrial wind turbine facilities. The\u00a0study emphasizes the need for epidemiological and laboratory research conducted by medical\u00a0health professionals and acousticians working together who are concerned with public health and\u00a0well-being.<\/p>\n

This study underscores the need for more effective and precautionary setback\u00a0distances for industrial wind turbines.<\/p>\n

It is especially important to include a margin of safety\u00a0sufficient to prevent inaudible low-frequency wind turbine noise from being detected by the\u00a0human vestibular system..<\/p>\n

Acknowledgements<\/h4>\n

This study was initiated by the concerns of a private citizen, Bruce McPherson, who enjoyed the\u00a0many quality of life benefits of living on Cape Cod. He was disappointed that there were no\u00a0efforts being made by developers or government agencies to determine the real cause for the\u00a0many complaints from Falmouth residents living near three new industrial wind turbines. He knew that neighbors were constantly complaining to town officials about receiving excessive\u00a0noise, adverse health effects and the loss of well-being. Thanks are given by so many for the\u00a0generosity of Mr. McPherson, who initiated and funded this independent investigation.<\/p>\n

To the residents of Falmouth who welcomed us into their homes and lives, extended us their\u00a0hospitality, told us their stories, and gave us their time and assistance, our deepest appreciation.<\/p>\n

Sincere appreciation is given to Dr. Alec Salt, Dr. Timothy Hullar, Mr. Richard James, and Mr.\u00a0Charles Ebbing for their insightful correspondence, professional reviews and comments.<\/p>\n

.<\/span>
\nClick<\/span>\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0for the full report.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

. “The Bruce McPherson Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Study: \u00a0Adverse Health Effects Produced by Large Industrial Wind Turbines Confirmed” \u2014Stephen E. Ambrose, INCE (Brd. Cert.) &\u00a0Robert W. Rand, INCE Member Executive Summary \u00a0(click\u00a0here\u00a0for the full report) The idea that infrasound doesn’t or can’t affect the ear is just flat-out wrong.” . \u2014Dr. Alec Salt,\u00a0Dept of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri This study was commissioned through a private philanthropic grant created to determine why\u00a0there were so many strong complaints about the loss of well-being and hardships experienced by\u00a0people living near large industrial wind turbines operating in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The\u00a0purpose of this study was to investigate and confirm or deny the presence of infrasonic and low\u00a0frequency noise emissions (ILFN) from the \u201cWIND 1\u201d, a municipally-owned Vestas V82\u00a0industrial wind turbine. In March of 2011, after many months of vigorous neighborhood\u00a0complaints and strong appeals to the town, selectmen voluntarily decided to curtail WIND 1\u00a0operations when hub height wind speed exceeded 10 m\/s. This required that this study focus on\u00a0noise emissions from the nearby \u201cNOTUS\u201d wind turbine, an identical make and model.. Acoustics This study was conducted at a representative neighbor’s home in Falmouth and confirmed that\u00a0there are dynamically modulated low frequency acoustic amplitudes and tones produced by the\u00a0nearby wind turbine. Dynamic amplitude modulations occurred at 1.4 second intervals that were\u00a0consistent with the blades rotating past the wind turbine tower (the blade pass rate). Dynamic\u00a0amplitude modulations below 10 Hz were stronger indoors than outdoors. Modulations\u00a0measured indoors were 0.2 Pascal peak to peak, consisting mostly of energy below 20 Hz. Two\u00a0tones were detected from both the NOTUS and the WIND 1 turbines, at 22.9 Hz and 129 Hz, and\u00a0are considered signatures of the wind turbines’ acoustic profile. Outdoors, the A-weighted sound\u00a0level decreased at a predictable rate of 6 dB per doublingRead More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[163,16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18396"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18396\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windturbinesyndrome.com\/static\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}