This study examines the impact of aircraft noise in U.S. national parks, especially remote areas where people expect natural quiet. Planes and helicopters can disrupt wildlife, visitor experiences, and cultural sites. Researchers focused on linking aircraft flight paths with actual sound levels heard on the ground, offering a listener-centered approach. Using Denali National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as study sites, they developed a toolkit called “NPS-ActiveSpace” that maps and measures the areas where aircraft noise becomes noticeable.

This toolkit creates 3D "active space" bubbles, showing how far aircraft noise travels. In both parks, noise from planes within five miles could disrupt the wilderness experience, but distances varied depending on the park's environment. The toolkit allows parks to tailor solutions for managing aircraft noise and preserving quiet areas for visitors and wildlife.

Read the full article here:

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/new-study-shows-how-to-estimate-aircraft-noise-from-the-ground-up.htm