TsAGI scientists develop a new method to measure aircraft noise

Press Release




Aircraft noise reduction is a priority task for the international aviation community. All the world’s leading research centers work on problems of noise source localization and resolution. Scientists of the Zhukovsky Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI, a member of the National Research Center “Zhukovsky Institute”) conduct similar research.

For the last two years Institute specialists have been developing their own algorithms for noise source localization (Beamforming methods). The term “Beamforming” refers to localization methods of noise source and its acoustic power by means of special postprocessing of acoustic pressure data synchronously recorded by an array of microphones. As applied to aeroacoustics, localization of the noisiest flow domains should help in the development of purposive noise reduction methods.

Georgy Faranosov, TsAGI research officer and Candidate of Physics and Mathematics spoke about the latest developments in this field. He delivered his report, prepared jointly with colleagues from MIPT, at the international acoustic conference “Berlin Beamforming Conference.” It was held in early March in Berlin.

“To apply the techniques of localization of noise, you need to know the characteristics of its sources,” explained Georgy Faranosov. “But this is not always possible in reality. Our development is valuable because we have managed to reformulate existing standard algorithms and improve the accuracy of noise source localization typical of solids flow (wing devices, landing gear). In the future, the results of this work will be used in laboratory studies on models and new aircraft flight testing.”

The Berlin Beamforming Conference has been held every two years since 2006. The main report topic is the development and application of methods for localization of noise sources using multimicrophone arrays — the Beamforming method. Scientists from Germany, France, Great Britain, China and other countries delivered more than 40 reports at the Conference this year.