Patent Document ID: 7634393
Application ID: 11326686
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of determining the origin and range of a sound event based upon estimates as to how acoustic waves will be attenuated, reflected and transmitted due to multidimensional, nonhomogeneous environmental effects within a predetermined territory, the method comprising: programming a computer to compute acoustic intensity based upon at least one ray path numerical model which predicts the interaction of the atmosphere and land surface over time; the at least one ray path numerical model comprising ray paths, each ray path being computed as a function of range and time dependent wind and sound speed fields; the acoustic intensity in each ray path being based upon geometrical divergence computed as an inverse function of range and the height difference between at least two rays within a ray path; inputting into the computer the frequency or frequencies of the acoustic waves to be transmitted from a predetermined location; inputting into the computer ground-related data concerning absorption, reflection and transmission of acoustic rays by the earth; acoustic intensity gain or loss due to frequency dependent ground effects being computed by the computer; inputting into the computer radiation intensity data, wind flow velocity data, leaf height and leaf area density data; cloud cover data, temperature data, latitude, longitude, day of year and time of day data; inputting into the computer, the temperature, humidity, wind and sound speeds as a function of time within and above the predetermined territory; computing the radiation and energy budget for the predetermined territory based upon incoming radiation and outgoing radiation; determining the absorption and scattering of acoustical waves by the leaf height and leaf area density data; determining the mean two-dimensional wind flow, temperature and sound speed in the predetermined territory; based upon the environmental effects on acoustic waves in a predetermined territory as determined by the at least one ray path numerical model, determining the intensity of acoustic waves propagating from the predetermined territory as a result of at least one sound event emitted within or traveling through the predetermined territory.