ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of outdoor noise and sound. First, in Section 15.2, the general principles of sound are discussed: How it is produced, how sources are characterized, and how the sound travels through the atmosphere to the listener. Methods for measuring noise exposure and predicting sound are described in Section 15.3. Some practical applications
to preserving natural quiet, managing noise impacts, and using natural and man-made barriers to attenuate noise are discussed in Section 15.4. Lastly, in Section 15.5, we offer a perspective on current major challenges, which include sound propagation in complex environments, statistical sampling of noise, and understanding noise annoyance in the context of soundscapes.
