Snow exceeds other natural surfaces in sound absorption by a large margin.

Evidence

In this article, we report on calculations and measurements of the absorption effects of snow-covered ground on acoustic pulse propagation. Acoustic propagation above snow has been studied in the past, although infrequently 4’9 (and additional references in Ref. 9), and primarily using continuous rather than impulsive sources. Gubler •ø did make some impulse measurements over snow, but reported only the amplitude decay rates observed and did not make waveform comparisons. Our study differs from previous studies of pulse propagation in two ways: First, we calculate absorption effects using a physically based theoretical model of finite ground impedance, the four-parameter model of Attenborough, • and compare these calculations to those using the semiempirical, single-parameter model of Delaney and Bazley TM that has been used in past work; and second, we compare the model predictions with measurements over snow-covered ground. Apparently, this is the first report of extensive impulse measurements over such a highly absorptive geological boundary. — Donald G. Albert and John A. Orcutt, Acoustic Pulse Propagation Above…, 6

Categorization

• QUESTION: Worth chasing: what effective flow resistivity is a reasonable layered model for late-season hard vs fresh snow, and does adding a sub-snow soil layer change the confound picture?
• DEFINE: Contrasts the four-parameter physical Attenborough model with the single-parameter semiempirical Delaney-Bazley model — the two impedance frameworks used throughout.
• XREF: connects to: Effective flow resistivity is the dominant ground absorption parameter. — Donald G. Albert and John A. Orcutt, Acoustic Pulse Propagation Above…, 73; Snow grounds require a layered porous-medium impedance model. — Donald G. Albert and John A. Orcutt, Acoustic Pulse Propagation Above…, 26; Snow is the most sound-absorbent natural ground cover — Donald G. Albert, Acoustic Waveform Inversion with…, 5 (+1 more)

Related

• Snow is the most sound-absorbent natural ground cover (similarity 0.92)
• Effective flow resistivity is the dominant ground absorption parameter. (similarity 0.90)
• Snow grounds require a layered porous-medium impedance model. (similarity 0.87)
• Donald G. Albert and John A. Orcutt — Acoustic Pulse Propagation Above Grassland and Snow Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Waveforms (similarity 0.85)
• Acoustic sensing can measure snow permeability at spatially averaged, selectable scales (similarity 0.84)
• Scientists ignored snow microstructure’s acoustic effect until the 1950s (similarity 0.84)
• Donald G. Albert — Acoustic Waveform Inversion with Application to Seasonal Snow Covers (similarity 0.80)
• Sound absorption coefficients vary dramatically by surface material and frequency (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• Snow is the most sound-absorbent natural ground cover #corroborates (0.95) — Donald G. Albert, Acoustic Waveform Inversion with…, 5
• Sound absorption coefficients vary dramatically by surface material and frequency #expands (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1885