bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individuality in the vocalizations of adult and infant coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus
Authors: Lau Allison , Clink Dena J. , Bales Karen L.
Published: November 2019

Many primates use acoustic communication to maintain social relationships. Specifically, territorial, pair-bonding primates participate in coordinated vocal duets. Recognition of neighbors should be selected for, as identifying conspecifics may decrease the need for costly territorial behaviors. While similar species show vocal individuality, it is unknown if vocal individuality is innate or develops over time. To understand individuality across life stages, we analyzed 169 duet vocalizations from 30 adult titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) and 600 trills from 30 infants. We estimated 16 features of adult pulse-chirp vocalizations and 9 features of infant trills from spectrograms and used discriminant function analysis with leave-one-out cross-validation to classify individuals. We correctly classified adults with 83% accuracy and infants with 60% accuracy. We used a multi-variate variance components model to estimate how variance in features was partitioned within- and between-individuals. Between-individual variance was the greatest source of variance for all features for adults, and 4/5 features for infants. Despite little sex-specificity and high overlap between duetting adults, the pulse-chirp vocalization is individually distinct. Further, the trills of infants are individually distinct, though to a lesser degree than adults. This study provides evidence for vocal individuality at multiple life stages in a territorial primate.
Long-term foraging dive characteristics of Cross Seamount beaked whales at the Pacific Missile Range Facility
Authors: Manzano-Roth Roanne , Henderson Elizabeth , Alongi Gabriela , Martin Stephen W. , Matsuyama Brian
Published: November 2019

Beaked whale foraging dive clicks similar to those detected at Cross Seamount were detected during passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off Kauai, Hawaii using bottom-mounted hydrophones from January 2007 through August 2018. The Cross Seamount beaked whale (BWC) foraging dive click frequency sweeps from approximately 18 kHz to above the recording bandwidth of the PMRF sensors of 48 kHz at inter-click-intervals of 0.14 s (std 0.06 s). These unique clicks have only been detected at Cross Seamount and around the Hawaiian Islands, and because they have only been detected at night there has been no visual detections or species confirmation. However, they are distinctive enough to automatically detect, and can be used to describe basic presence at PMRF. Detections averaged 0.047 dives/h (in a 24-h cycle), and occurred almost entirely on the southern part of the range (water depth <1000 m). 702 BWC foraging dives were used to determine a foraging dive baseline over a 12-year period, to compare foraging dive rates during US Naval exercise events and baseline periods, and to contrast BWC foraging dive behavior from Blainville’s beaked whale foraging dive behavior at PMRF.
Inter and intra specific variation in echolocation signals among odontocete species in the Northwest Atlantic, the Temperate Pacific and Hawaii
Authors: Yack Tina M. , Oswald Julie N. , Dunleavy Kerry , Cholewiak Danielle
Published: November 2019

Odontocete species use echolocation signals (clicks) to forage and navigate. The aim of this study is to explore inter- and intra-specific variation in clicks among odontocete species in the Northwest Atlantic, Temperate Pacific, and Hawaii. Clicks were examined for seven species of odontocetes—bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, striped dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins, and Cuvier’s beaked whales. Specially developed PAMGuard tools were used to automatically measure a suite of click parameters. Seven parameters were compared within and between species; duration, 10 dB bandwidth, 3 dB bandwidth, center frequency, peak frequency, sweep rate, and number of zero crossings. Significant differences in duration, center, and peak frequency were evident between species within study areas (Dunn’s test with Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment <0.05). Geographic variation in click parameters between the three study regions was also examined. Results showed statistically significant pair-wise differences between geographic regions for almost all echolocation click parameters and species (Dunn’s test with Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment <0.05). Results suggest species-specific differences in clicks among odontocetes and indicate that geographic variation exists for multiple species. The ecological significance of these findings will be discussed along with implications for classifier development.
Acoustic and in-situ observations of hydrothermal discharge at ASHES vent field
Authors: Xu Guangyu , Ivakin Anatoliy , Bemis Karen G. , Jackson Darrell
Published: November 2019

The Cabled Observatory Vent Imaging Sonar (COVIS) was installed on the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s Cabled Array observatory at ASHES hydrothermal vent field on Axial Seamount in July 2018. The acoustic backscatter data recorded by COVIS, in conjunction with in-situ temperature measurements, are used to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of hydrothermal venting within COVIS’s field-of-view. Areas in which diffuse hydrothermal flow is significant are identified by maps made using the standard deviation of the phase change between pings separated in time by fractions of 1 s. The results demonstrate significant influences of ocean tides and bottom currents on diffuse hydrothermal discharge. Comparison with local seismicity shows a small positive correlation between the areal coverage of diffuse hydrothermal discharge and the seismic activity in the vicinity of the vent field. This finding reveals an intimate connection between hydrothermal activity and geological processes during the dynamic period leading up to the next eruption of Axial Seamount. [Work sponsored by NSF.]
Cavitation precursors for biomedical applications
Authors: Lajoinie Guillaume
Published: November 2019

Stabilized microbubbles are unrivaled as contrast agents for ultrasound imaging owing to its key resonance behavior, arising from the compression of the gas core under ultrasound driving. This resonance also makes them prime candidates for new treatment strategies where microbubbles transport and locally deliver the therapeutics, while mechanically permeating tissues to enhance treatment efficacy. Notwithstanding the achievements made in the field, microbubbles suffer from a strong size limitation, which restricts their access to the circulation and prohibits their use in surrounding tissues, shielded by vessel walls. There is therefore great interest in investigating cavitation precursors that can reach deeper into the target diseased tissues. Such nuclei can be made orders of magnitude smaller than microbubbles without compromising their stability and are thereby allowed to circulate more freely and extravasate beyond the blood vessel endothelium. These precursors present either a liquid form or a gaseous form and can be activated either optically, using laser light, or acoustically using high pressure ultrasound waves. All these features determine the subsequent dynamics of these agents. We recorded the ultrafast cavitation dynamics of a range of agents through high-speed imaging and compare quantitatively to models based on Rayleigh-Plesset-type dynamics.
Phospholipid conjugated prodrugs for targeted delivery using ultrasound with microbubbles and nanodroplets
Authors: Marquez Mendi , Hill Meghan , Frolova Liliya , Tartis Michaelann
Published: November 2019

Therapeutic payloads remain a challenge for phospholipid-stabilized microbubbles that are currently used as contrast agents in diagnostic ultrasound imaging. High loading is difficult to achieve due to the metastable phospholipid monolayer that lacks cargo volume, requiring lengthy drug-loaded particle tethering strategies or other sophisticated methods. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate that phospholipid conjugation can anchor chemotherapeutics to the microbubble shell with minimal disruption to phospholipid packing, resulting in an ultrasound theranostic agent that requires minimal preparation prior to administration. Using a Steglich esterification reaction, several potent chemotherapeutics were conjugated to phospholipids and were subsequently incorporated into liposomes, microbubbles, and nanodroplets for biological and particle characterization. Prodrug structures were confirmed with 1H and 13C NMR. Retention of biological activity for each phospholipid prodrug was demonstrated with an MTT cell proliferation assay using liposomes. Loading and stability of nanodroplets and microbubbles were measured with UV-Vis spectroscopy. To demonstrate site-specific delivery potential, these solutions were suspended in a submersible cell culture chamber with adhered HeLa cells. A single element transducer was used to apply a radiation force and fragmentation pulse sequence. Ultrasound-exposed and non-exposed areas treated with prodrug-containing microbubbles and nanodroplets were compared, demonstrating local efficacy.
Predicting the statistical occurrence of Mach cut-off sounds using a 3-D ray-tracing model and high-resolution weather data
Authors: Huang Zhendong , Sparrow Victor
Published: November 2019

Mach cut-off flight is achieved when a supersonic airplane operates in a narrow speed-altitude envelope just above Mach 1, intending that no sonic boom directly impacts the ground. The present work is assessing how often these ground impacts will occur. An improved 3-D acoustic ray-tracing model has been developed. The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) numerical weather prediction model is used for the atmosphere, which generates hourly analysis data and forecasts gridded at 3 km over the contiguous United States. The propagation of sonic boom noise is simulated for various flight paths, flight levels, safety margins, and atmospheres, to calculate the flight cut-off Mach numbers and corresponding ground speeds. The statistical occurrence of Mach cut-off sounds on the ground due to the atmosphere is predicted. [Work supported by the FAA. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASCENT FAA Center of Excellence sponsor organizations.]
Sensitivity of sonic boom propagation throughout a turbulent atmosphere
Authors: Leconte Roman , Marchiano Regis , Chassaing Jean-Camille , Coulouvrat François
Published: November 2019

Sensitivity of sonic boom propagation throughout a turbulent atmosphere is investigated. Three types of boom of same amplitude but different initial shapes: an ideal N-wave, a measured boom (NASA data for F-18) and a “low” boom (C25D mock-up) with increased rise time are studied. The atmosphere is supposed to be a quiescent and isothermal medium with a superposed synthetic velocity field with homogeneous and isotropic statistical properties satisfying a von Kármán energy spectrum. Using the “random field generation method,” the flow velocity turbulent field is governed by three independent parameters: a random matrix, an intensity parameter and a scale parameter (turbulence integral scale). The flow velocity is then used as a base flow for a in-house software called FLHOWARD designed to compute the propagation of acoustic shock waves in heterogeneous media. In order to reduce the number of simulations compared to a Monte-Carlo approach, the study is performed within the generalized chaos polynomial (gPC) framework. Various convergence tests have been performed to define the optimal discretization and gPC order. Stochastic evolution of selected metrics along a 1 km distance are investigated.
Observation of asymmetric scattering in acoustic bianisotropic metagratings
Authors: Craig Steven R. , Su Xiaoshi , Norris Andrew , Shi Chengzhi
Published: November 2019

Bianisotropic metagratings realize asymmetric wave transport by coupling pressure and velocity fields to redirect incident plane waves at an arbitrarily designed angle. The coupled fields simultaneously excite monopole and dipole scattering to redirect the acoustic energy from one grating diffraction mode to another. Given the bianisotropic coupling of the pressure and velocity, we systematically design a metagrating with Bloch wavevectors satisfying the wave-grating interaction in reciprocal space. The grating is designed using a finite element method to vary the dimensional parameters of each unit cell to maximize the scattering efficiency of the Bloch wavevector. We perform 2-D spatial Fourier analysis to verify that the scattering properties of the unit cell match the desired wave-grating interaction in reciprocal space. An experimental realization of the bianisotropic grating demonstrates the experimental results match the desired asymmetric scattering fields.
Improving airborne far-field ultrasound acoustic imaging systems using high-K acoustic metamaterial
Authors: Yazdkhasti Amirhossein , Yu Miao
Published: November 2019

Airborne far-field ultrasound acoustic imaging systems allow scanning a large area that light-based imaging systems fail, such as glass walls and smoky environments. To scan the environment with great details, High-frequency acoustic waves should be used, but high-frequency waves attenuate fast, and it leads to low-range imaging. To address this challenge, a high-k acoustic metamaterial is used. This metamaterial is constructed of a subwavelength sequence of air-material layers and compresses the wave in a way that sound pressure increase in a particular frequency. In this research, a Uniform Linear Array consists of 30 microphones that designed to get a real-time 2-D image of the environment. Using this metamaterial increases the imaging range from 6 m to 15 m. It also improves the capability of the system to recognize small obstacles. By using the metamaterial array, an obstacle with a diameter of 1 cm is visible at a distance of 6 m while the smallest recognizable obstacle for the microphone array at the same distance has the diameter of 6 cm. The effect of the obstacle size and distance on image amplitude has been investigated and compensated. It is concluded that using metamaterials do not only increase the signal to noise ratio but also increase the quality of the image of a complex environment which consists of obstacles with different diameters.
Linear and nonlinear surface waves in two-dimensional, hexagonal close-packed granular crystals
Authors: Wallen Samuel P. , Haberman Michael R.
Published: November 2019

Granular crystals (GCs) are ordered arrays of spherical particles in contact, which have been shown to exhibit rich nonlinear dynamics stemming from Hertzian contact interactions. They are typically modeled as discrete networks of rigid body spheres, which may undergo translational and rotational motion, with Hertzian interactions modeled as effective nonlinear normal and shear springs. Most of the existing literature on GCs concerns one-dimensional chains of spheres, though a growing body of recent work has explored two-dimensional systems in linear and nonlinear regimes, with multiple packing geometries. In a recent analytical study, Rayleigh-like surface waves were shown to exist in the linear regime for two-dimensional GCs with square packing [Phys. Rev. E 93, 023008 (2016)]. In the present work, we report on surface waves in two-dimensional granular crystals with hexagonal close-packed (HCP) geometry. We demonstrate analytically that, in the linear regime, HCP GCs support Rayleigh-like surface waves analogous to the square-packed case, as well as a leaky surface wave mode with quasi-longitudinal polarization. Extensions of the linear surface modes into the nonlinear regime are demonstrated via numerical examples and compared to results from one-dimensional granular chains. [Work supported by the postdoctoral program at ARL:UT.]
Neural representations of enhanced speech motor control in trained singers
Authors: Waters Sheena , Kanber Elise , Lavan Nadine , Carey Daniel , Cartei Valentina , Lally Clare , Miquel Marc , McGettigan Carolyn
Published: November 2019

Humans are unrivalled amongst the great apes in our capacity for vocal learning, which forms a key component our facility for articulate speech. Here, we used a speech imitation task to investigate the neural representation of the human larynx, which has a distinct cortical topography and innervation in humans that may underpin our sophisticated vocal capabilities compared with non-human primates. In an MRI study, 25 highly trained singers and 24 non-singing control participants adjusted voice pitch (F0) and vocal tract length (VTL) to mimic altered auditory targets generated from recordings of their own speech. Participants simultaneously underwent real-time anatomical scans of the vocal tract and functional scans of brain activity. Representational similarity analyses of neural activation data identified representation of the two vocal parameters in regions of somatomotor cortex previously associated with laryngeal control. Singers showed more accurate task-relevant larynx height modulation (as measured with vocal tract MRI) when imitating VTL, which was underpinned by stronger representation of VTL within a region of right dorsal somatomotor cortex previously related to singing experience. Our findings offer the first behaviourally validated, representational account of speech imitation within larynx somatomotor cortex, suggesting that the behavioral and neural correlates of singing expertise extend to human speech.
Individuals with cochlear implants use feedback from their own productions to alter the pitch of their voice
Authors: Aronoff Justin
Published: November 2019

The feedback cochlear implant (CI) users’ receive of their own voice is greatly distorted by the CI processor, which may cause these individuals to ignore that feedback. A series of studies were conducted to investigate if this is the case. In the first study, because bilateral CI users often hear rumbly sounds with one CI and squeaky sounds with the other CI, bilateral CI users were asked to produce a sustained vowel (/a/) when using either their left or right CI. Many participants produced different F0s depending on which CI they were using. In the second study, participants were presented with altered feedback, where brief shifts in the spectrum were introduced to the feedback from their own voice. Participants shifted the pitch of their voice in response. In the third experiment, stimulation patterns were shifted either apically or basally while participants completed a number of vocal tasks. Participants reliably shifted the pitch of their voice, compensating for the shifted place of stimulation. Taken together, the results indicate that CI users are monitoring their own vocal productions and using that feedback to alter their F0. Additionally, the results suggest that the place of stimulation is a key aspect of that feedback.
The role of auditory feedback in error-detection and correction in first and second language production
Authors: Bakst Sarah , Niziolek Caroline A.
Published: November 2019

Speakers self-correct small variations they hear in their own speech, whether self-produced or experimentally induced perturbations to auditory feedback. In a first language (L1), phonetic categories and therefore auditory expectations are well-established, but in a second language (L2), lack of experience with new categories may interfere with the ability to detect and correct such deviations. We present two companion studies to test how English speakers learning French detect such variations in their auditory feedback in both L1 and L2. In one study, speakers uttered monosyllabic English and French words while simultaneously receiving different levels of masking noise to determine how access to auditory feedback information impacts speakers' ability to make online adjustments to self-produced speech. There was greater acoustic variability at the midpoint of utterances in L2 than in L1, regardless of noise condition, consistent with a differential use of auditory feedback information in the two languages. In a second study, speakers received altered auditory feedback. On one-third of trials, the vowel formants of produced words were shifted up or down, creating the perception of an error. We will compare correction of internally and externally generated error to understand speakers' sensitivity to auditory feedback in native and learned languages.
A study on attention-based objective function in deep denoising autoencoder based speech enhancement
Authors: Kao Yi-Ying , Hsu Hsiang-Ping , Hung Kuo-Hsuan , Lee Shih-Kuang , Lai Ying-Hui , Chiang Chen-Yu , Tsao Yu
Published: November 2019

Speech is one of the most direct and convenient human\machine interfaces. In real-world scenarios, however, various interferences and noises may deteriorate the speech signals and thus reduce speech quality and intelligibility. Therefore, speech enhancement (SE) is an essential component in speech-communication systems. Recently, numerous deep-learning-based SE approaches have been proposed and yield satisfactory performance. In a deep-learning-based SE system, defining a proper objective function plays a crucial role to its success. Generally, the mean square error (MSE) of the predicted and desired outputs are used to form the objective function to learn the parameters in deep-learning models. Because a sequence of speech signals contains various patterns, such as consonant, vowel, beginning and ending silences, and short pauses, it is not optimal to simply use MSE as the objective function, since the contributions of these different patterns may be averaged out. Instead, we should apply specific weights for distinct patterns when designing the objective function. In this presentation, we present a novel objective function, which is used in deep denoising autoencoder-based SE system. The proposed objective function is derived by MSE with multiplying a ratio calculated from clean and noisy speech. The result is evaluated using standardized evaluation metrics, and experiment results confirm the proposed objective function is beneficial to improve the intelligibility of enhanced speech.
An efficient DSP network for the real-time auralization of complex urban scenarios
Authors: Vorlaender Michael , Andrew Henry , Stienen Jonas
Published: November 2019

The most commonly used technique for auralization is a simulation step to determine sound propagation based on Geometrical Acoustics and a subsequent assembly of the simulation results into a filter or (binaural) impulse response. Convolution is used to apply the propagation effects to an anechoic recording per source-receiver pair, which is efficient for a scenario including a few sound sources and many propagation paths. The procedure offers a good balance of speed and accuracy, and has seen much development. However, it reveals an intrinsic difficulty upon scene adaption (filter exchange) for fast-moving sound sources, because in principle it requires a steady-state environment. In particular, this constellation is found in urban scenarios, where many fast-moving sound sources can be expected while essentially only a manageable number of propagation paths contribute to the perceived overall sound field. An efficient DSP network is put to discussion that handles propagation paths individually using a single-input multiple-output variable delay line per sound source and applies spectral influences like diffraction effects using short IIR filters. Binaural cues are maintained by a clustering approach that combines incident waves and offers a constant convolution cost.
Sparsity-based frequency-domain adaptive line enhancer
Authors: Liang Guolong , Hao Yu , Zou Nan , Qiu Longhao
Published: November 2019

The radiated lines from underwater targets are an important feature for passive sonar detection. Adaptive line enhancer (ALE) is usually applied as a preprocessing step to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the lines. However, the conventional ALE based on least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm suffers from the weight noise in the adaption, which limits the SNR gain severely. Inspired by the frequency-domain sparsity of the lines, a sparsity-based ALE is developed to break through this limit. The proposed ALE is implemented in the frequency domain and a sparse penalty is incorporated into the frequency-domain adaption. By means of the sparse penalty, the weight noise is suppressed and the SNR gain is well improved. Simulation results demonstrate that the SNR gain of the proposed ALE is 9 dB higher than that of the conventional ALE. Experimental data processing also verifies the superiority of the proposed ALE.
Novel applications of re-tooled open-source acoustic simulation algorithms
Authors: van der Harten Arthur W. , Goodman Cameron
Published: November 2019

Pachyderm Acoustic Simulation is an open-source acoustics simulation tool that is freely available to the public through the General Public License 3.0. In the 11 years, that Pachyderm Acoustic Simulation has been available, its open and conventional acoustics simulation algorithms (including geometrical, finite volume, transfer matrix, etc.) have been applied in ways that are less conventional by certain creative individuals. Users leverage access to the algorithms through its native interface, grasshopper (for visual generation of algorithms), IronPython, and the software’s native source language C#. Examples of these creative applications include augmented geometrical visualizations, customized finite volume method simulations for proof of concept, visualization of material data, and form-finding using genetic algorithms. This talk will explore several exemplary cases in which a user successfully applied the simulation and calculation algorithms in a way that was not originally intended.
An efficient hybrid VBAP—Ambisonics convolution technique for real time auralization
Authors: Azevedo Matthew
Published: November 2019

Ambisonics requires high orders with many channels for high spatial accuracy, which makes real-time convolution of many HOA (high order ambisonics) sources computationally challenging. We have developed a technique to process an ambisonic impulse response to isolate the direct and early components and spatialize them with vector-based amplitude panning and using simple 2nd order ambisonics to present the diffuse late energy. This hybrid approach results in sharp imaging of the auditory scene while only requiring 14 channels of convolution per source.
Characterization of a bimodal call rate from tracked minke whales
Authors: Martin Cameron R. , Martin Stephen W. , Henderson Elizabeth , Helble Tyler A. , Alongi Gabriela , Matsuyama Brian
Published: November 2019

The minke whale call rate was characterized using 16 years of multi-channel passive acoustic data collected from bottom-mounted hydrophones off the coast of Kauai, HI at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility’s instrumented range. Recorded data were post-processed for minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) boing vocalizations that were seasonally present using automated detection, classification, and localization algorithms. Semi-automated processes were used to perform spatio-temporal association of localizations to create individual whale tracks. The inter-call intervals (ICIs) from the resulting minke whale tracks exhibited a bimodal distribution. Preliminary results show that the longer ICI mean was 349.7 s, and the shorter or “rapid” ICI mean was 28.6 s. It is believed that only sexually mature males produce the boing call for breeding purposes, and the rapid ICI is hypothesized to be a challenge behavior exhibited when animals are within close proximity to each other. Data from February 2017 were examined in detail and contained four minke whale tracks with rapid ICIs, which appeared to occur when the nearest conspecific was within 10 km. Additional datasets were analyzed to further investigate distance between conspecifics relative to call rate.
Call discrimination for an unknown pod of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Eastern Canadian Arctic
Authors: Sportelli Jessica J. , Jones Joshua M. , Frasier Kaitlin E. , Bowles Ann , Hildebrand John , Westdal Kristin H.
Published: November 2019

Killer whales produce pulsed calls, which are used for communication. Calls are highly stereotyped, and repertoires are unique to individual pods. Discrimination amongst these calls and comparison of call repertoires between pods can help determine population structure in killer whales and can be used to track pod movements. Calls were detected in underwater acoustic recordings from August to September 2017 in the waters near the community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. Eight stereotypic call types were identified using whistle contour extraction and network analysis to compare contours. We present a repertoire of killer whale calls recorded. The potential for increased killer whale presence and magnitude of predation on narwhals is a source of concern for management of the population and by Inuit subsistence hunters who rely on narwhals for food and economic benefit. Describing the acoustic repertoire of killer whales seasonally present in the Canadian Arctic may help identify the stock or pod and determine their seasonal movements. Comparisons of this repertoire with killer whale calls from other Atlantic pods has not yet yielded a match. However, the results presented may provide a basis for future comparisons and aid in identifying killer whale ecotypes making seasonal incursions into Arctic waters.
Cetacean occurrence near the South Shetland Islands based on long-term passive acoustic monitoring
Authors: Trickey Jennifer S. , Rice Ally , Solsona Berga Alba , Bartlett Ann , Jones Joshua M. , Thayre Bruce , Hurwitz John , Baumann-Pickering Simone , Širović Ana , Hildebrand John , Reyes Reyes M. Vanesa , Hevia Marta , Marino Alexander , Melcon Mariana L. , Iniguez Miguel
Published: November 2019

Passive acoustic monitoring is an effective tool to investigate cetacean ecology, particularly in remote locations and over long time periods. Several cetacean species occur in Antarctic waters, but knowledge of their year-round relative abundance, distribution, and seasonality is relatively sparse. Long-term, broadband recordings were collected near the South Shetland Islands between 2014 and 2016, and spatio-temporal patterns in cetacean acoustic occurrence were investigated at three different locations within this area. Baleen whales detected included blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), and several toothed whales, including sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) were also present in the datasets. Overall detection rates of these species varied across the recording sites and also showed strong seasonal trends. Sea ice dynamics will be explored as a possible driver for the shifts in seasonal relative abundance of cetaceans in this region of the Southern Ocean, and proximity to the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (SACCF) will be examined to evaluate differences in habitat use across the sites.
The development of acoustic mapping of ocean currents in coastal seas
Authors: Huang Chen-Fen
Published: November 2019

Coastal oceanography is characterized by a high spatial and temporal variability, limiting the observational and predictive capability for environmental protection. Among various measurement techniques for studying ocean dynamics, the method of ocean acoustic tomography (OAT) is particularly useful for obtaining the spatial variation of current fields in the ocean interior. Traditionally, with only a limited number of the moored acoustic tomographic sensors, the inversion of currents in coastal areas still suffers insufficient sampling of the water volume. Recently, incorporating a ship-towed sensor has attracted considerable attention due to their capability of resolving the small spatial scale of ocean features. In this talk, we will review the fundamentals of moving ship tomography and signal/data processing algorithms for current estimation using the difference of reciprocal travel times. The central idea is to increase the number of ray paths that sample the ocean column at various angles, per the projection slice theorem. The concept has been further extended by using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) or an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) as an alternative carrier for the sensor. This configuration has been demonstrated by recent experiments. This talk concludes with a discussion of future research activities and applications.
Quantitative multiparametric ultrasound for prostate cancer targeted biopsy
Authors: Morris D. Cody , Chan Derek Y. , Chen Hong , Palmeri Mark L. , Polascik Thomas , Gupta Rajan T. , Foo Wen-Chi , Huang Jiaoti , Mamou Jonathan , Nightingale Kathryn
Published: November 2019

Prostate cancer (PCa) is conventionally diagnosed using transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy. B-mode ultrasound is used to direct the biopsy needle to regions of the prostate gland, but is not used to target cancer-suspicious regions due to its low specificity for PCa. We are developing multiparametric quantitative ultrasound imaging approaches to facilitate targeting ultrasound-guided biopsies toward regions suspicious for PCa. To identify PCa during TRUS imaging, we combine information from four ultrasonic techniques: acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging, shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI), quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and B-mode ultrasound. 3-D co-registered in vivo ultrasound data, and MRI T2-weighted and ADC data volumes have been acquired from 30 patients prior to radical prostatectomy, obtaining estimates of ARFI displacement, shear wave speed, QUS midband fit, B-mode brightness, T2 intensity, and ADC values. In each data volume, healthy and cancerous regions were manually segmented with guidance from whole mount histology; the intersection of the cancerous segmentations from all modalities was labeled as the ground truth. We will present a range of classification approaches, including LDA and SVM, to combine information from each modality in order to develop automated tools for targeted biopsy.
Computational and ultrafast ultrasound assessment of arterial bi-directional stiffness from spontaneous pulsatile waves
Authors: Ran Dan , Dong JinPing , Li He , Lee Wei-Ning
Published: November 2019

Ultrafast vascular ultrasound imaging (UVUI) enables the capture of transient bi-directional arterial wall motions induced by pulsatile blood ejection. In this study, from fluid-structure-interaction (FSI) simulation and in vitro experiments, we quantitatively examined our recently observed longitudinally propagating natural wave, whose velocity (VL) wastracked from the longitudinal arterial wall motion and thus assumed to reflect longitudinal stiffness. This supplements the well-established pulse wave, whose velocity (VP) is estimated from radial motion and linked to transverse stiffness via the Moens-Korteweg equation. Three-dimensional two-way-coupled FSI simulation was created in COMSOL. The geometric parameters and loading condition of the simulated isotropic vessel model and a home-made vessel-mimicking phantom (radius: 6.43 mm; thickness: 2.07 mm; pressure: 10–25 mmHg) were the same. The phantom was connected to pulsatile flows; its ultrasound radiofrequency data were acquired by a Verasonics Vantage system at 6000 frames/s and then analyzed using the spatial-angular-compounding technique to obtain bi-directional displacements. VP and VL were estimated from radial and longitudinal wall displacements, respectively. Comparable VL-to-VP ratios in the simulation (2.83) and phantom (3.16 ± 0.66) cross-validated the inherent velocity relationship between the two waves in isotropic vessel wall, implying the potential of adopting UVUI to evaluate bi-directional arterial stiffness orientation from spontaneous pulsatile waves.
The perception and measurement of headphone sound quality
Authors: Olive Sean E. , Welti Todd , Khonsariopour Omid
Published: November 2019

We recently completed a 7-year research project aimed at understanding the perception and measurement of headphone sound quality. A virtual headphone listening test method was developed to provide controlled, double-blind comparisons of different models of headphones and target response curves using a large number of trained and untrained listeners in USA, Canada, Germany, and China. From these data, we identified a new headphone target curve that is preferred by the majority of listeners. Statistical models were developed that predict listeners’ headphone sound quality ratings based on objective headphone measurements. More recently, cluster analysis of headphone listening test data has shown there are three segments or classes of listeners based on similarities in their headphone sound preferences. Both demographic (i.e., age, gender, listening experience) and acoustic factors are associated with membership in each headphone segment. This information can help guide future headphone design that is aimed at a specific class or segment of listener.
Mentoring when you don’t have time to mentor
Authors: Sommerfeldt Scott D.
Published: November 2019

In my position as a faculty member at Brigham Young University (BYU), I served for ten years as the dean of my college. Mentoring of students is a highly valued activity at BYU, so I had reasons to promote strong mentoring in the college, as well as to seek to mentor students myself—both graduate and undergraduate. However, there really is not any time in the job description to devote towards mentoring, so how does one try to mentor effectively? This paper will review some of my experiences, as well as principles I learned while in the dean’s office to help me try to be an effective mentor—principles that can actually extend to all mentoring situations. I will also share some initiatives that were undertaken by the college to try and promote better mentoring throughout the college.
Research group meetings as a professional development book club
Authors: Buck John R.
Published: November 2019

Many of the soft skills important for professional success in a research career are not taught in classes listed in the graduate course catalog. This talk describes the professional development goals and practices in the weekly meetings of the Signal Processing Group at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Meetings in alternate weeks switch between students discussing readings from books on important professional skills and students presenting practice conference talks. For the first semester, we read and discuss a book on scientific presentations, most recently Allen’s “The Craft of Scientific Presentations.” Book choices for the second semester in recent years include “Writing Science” by Schimel, “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” by Tufte, and “The Signal and the Noise” by Silver. Every student gives a practice presentation every semester, and receive constructive peer and advisor critiques. The critiques are based on the framework of the book on scientific presentations we read together during the first semester. As a result, students have presented several times before an audience of their peers before their first professional conference presentations.
To infinity and beyond: The life story of brass instrument shock waves
Authors: Campbell D. Murray
Published: November 2019

One of the most spectacular features of the sound of trumpets, trombones, and french horns is the way in which the spectral content evolves during a crescendo. The gentle rounded timbre which these instrument create when played very quietly becomes increasingly bright as the loudness increases, and at the fortissimo level the sound develops a snarling brilliance described as “brassy.” In 1980, Jim Beauchamp suggested that nonlinear sound propagation might play a role in this spectral enrichment, and in 1996, experiments by Mico Hirschberg, Joel Gilbert and colleagues confirmed that the cumulative effect of nonlinear distortion in a trombone could lead to shock wave formation. This paper reviews the experimental studies which have subsequently been undertaken to understand better the circumstances which lead to the theoretically infinite pressure gradient of a shock wave, and the way in which the wavefront evolves as it travels on to the bell and into the open space beyond.
Measuring free reed oscillation: Some case studies
Authors: Cottingham James P.
Published: November 2019

This paper presents an overview of efforts to measure several quantities related to sound production in free reed instruments. All were undertaken with limited financial resources for equipment and a professor who started with limited experience in experimental physics, but with a good supply of talented and creative undergraduate students. The case studies to be presented will include detecting the presence of higher transverse modes and torsional modes of vibration in an air-driven free reed, detection and significance of these modes in the initial transient, measurement of the volume airflow as a function of time in an oscillating free reed, and using a combination of measurement and theoretical calculation to predict the sounding frequencies of free reed pipes with non-uniform bore shapes.
Electronic speckle pattern interferometry: A powerful but underutilized experimental technique
Authors: Moore Thomas
Published: November 2019

Electronic speckle pattern interferometry is a cost effective technique for imaging the deflection shapes of harmonically vibrating objects. The images produced by the interferometer show the vibrating object superimposed with fringes representing contours of equal out of plane amplitude. These images can be used to determine deflection shapes, find and characterize resonances, and ensure the proper placement of sensors. Constructing the interferometer requires only minimal optical expertise, and with slight modifications the interferometer can be made to image static displacement, transient vibrations, fluid flow and thermal effects.
Calculating and specifying acoustical performance of exterior façade assemblies
Authors: LoVerde John , Dong David W.
Published: November 2019

The acoustical performance of the exterior façade determines the noise exposure of residents to transportation noise. Façade assemblies with high acoustical performance have a large impact on construction in terms of cost, dimension, and schedule. Uncertainties in the acoustical performance require safety factors and generally conservative design in order to ensure that the requirements are met, with corresponding increase in impact to the project. Historically, STC ratings have been used to describe the performance of exterior façade assemblies. A variety of alternative ratings and calculation methods have been proposed to improve the accuracy or precision of the description. Examples include OITC and the spectrum adaptation terms of Rw defined in ISO 717-1. The authors have previously analyzed the use of OITC versus STC for describing the sound isolation of exterior façade assemblies [J. LoVerde and W. Dong, “Comparison of sound transmission class and outdoor-indoor transmission class for specification of exterior facade assemblies,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 141, 3539 (2017)]. This analysis is extended to additional ratings and methods with the goal of minimizing the uncertainty of the analysis. Recommendations for calculation and specification methods of the acoustical performance of exterior façade assemblies are presented.
Noise in a public square
Authors: Beristain Sergio
Published: November 2019

Nowadays many public squares have been hosting almost every day many recreational activities, some of them previously advertised, but some not, ranging from single performers with an acoustic instrument, small dancing groups or theatrical performances, up to electronic amplified musical events, either for free or for a fee. This kind of events can be sponsored by the musicians or performers themselves, broadcast or recording companies as promotionals, or by the local and federal governments for political purposes, which for the people living around the square is a nice and free entertainment, but after a few events, together with the implementation processes become a frequent annoyance for their normal living or working activities. In many instances sound levels are well beyond any standard, and due to its variable nature, very hard to control. A case is presented, showing levels, events duration, together with approval and disapproval comments.
Community noise monitoring around Universal Studios Hollywood
Authors: Waldeck Randy
Published: November 2019

As part of the development agreement/Specific Plan for Universal Studios Hollywood, community noise monitoring is required to maintain acceptable Studio-generated noise levels in the neighborhoods surrounding Universal Studios. Universal Studios operates 24 h a day, operating as both a theme park hosting 9M guests/year and an active film/TV studio covering over 400 acres. Universal Studios' activities generate many different types of noise: crowd screams/cheers, percussive/explosive events as part of filming and the theme park attractions, music from the attractions and filming, and operational noise such as landscaping, set construction, etc. The community noise monitoring is conducted four to six times a year at six residential locations closest to Universal Studios. The monitoring occurs for 24 (continuous) hours, and each monitoring location is staffed for the entire duration so that each noisy event can be noted, characterized, and its source determined (Universal Studios or other non-Universal source). The results of the noise monitoring are compared against the comprehensive Specific Plan noise criteria and a determination of compliance is made. Based on the measurement results, adjustments/modifications to Universal Studios operations, equipment, sound systems, etc. are made to maintain compliance. A discussion of the activities and noise sources, measurement program, and lessons learned will be discussed.
Comparison of SoundPlan 4.0 noise modeling software and field noise measurements results at two different outdoor entertainment spaces (Glamping and Winery venues)
Authors: Montoya Juan C.
Published: November 2019

Evaluation of noise in outdoor entertainment spaces is a topic of interest in our communities . Noise from outdoor entertainment spaces has turned into an unwanted activity in rural communities due to high levels sound pressure from music events and crowd noise. There are numerous complaints from neighbors or neighborhood associations pertaining noise pollution around areas near these spaces. For this case study, field noise measurements were conducted in a winery for a regular concert season. Evaluation of the noise predictions using SoundPlan 4.0 for the winery venue and for a Glamping (“luxurious camping”) venue are the main focus of this study. The paper aims to determine a correlation between field noise measurements, methodology from ISO 9613-2:1996 Standard “Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors,” and noise prediction results using SoundPlan 4.0 computer modeling software.