Infrasound, human health, and adaptation: an integrative overview of recondite hazards in a complex environment

Abstract

Infrasound displays a special capacity to affect human health and adaptation because its frequencies and amplitudes converge with those generated by the human body. Muscle sounds and whole-body vibrations are predominately within the 5-to 40-Hz range. The typical amplitudes of the oscillations are within 1-50 lm, which is equivalent to the pressures of about 1 Pa and energies in the order of 10 -11 W m -2 . Infrasound sources from the natural environment originate from winds, microbaroms, geomagnetic activity, and microseisms and can propagate for millions of meters. Cultural sources originate from air moving through duct systems within buildings, large machinery, and more recently, wind turbines. There are also unknown sources of infrasound. It is important to differentiate the effects of infrasound from the awareness or experience of its presence. Moderate strength correlations occur between the incidences of infrasound and reports of nausea, malaise, fatigue, aversion to the area, non-specific pain, and sleep disturbances when pressure levels exceed about 50 db for protracted periods. Experimental studies have verified these effects. Their validity is supported by convergent quantitative biophysical solutions. Because cells interact through the exchange of minute quanta of energy that corresponds with remarkably low levels of sound pressure produced by natural phenomena and wind turbines upon the body and its cavities, traditional standards for safety and quality of living might not be optimal.

Environmental Noise Pollution: Has Public Health Become too Utilitarian?

“…Thus, the idea is floated that we are perceiving Infrasound directly through our body surface. This fits in with the concept of the vibration of body structures espoused by Persinger [6]. In the Cape Bridgewater study, in which turbines were intermittently turned on and off, the subject who could best predict whether or not the rotors were in motion or not was profoundly deaf [55].…”

“…Wind farms emit noise, sometimes for days on end, and this is a problem because they are being constructed in rural areas where background noise is low. It is a particular problem at night, because Infrasound persists long after the higher frequencies have been dissipated [6]. This paper will concentrate on the health effects of wind turbine noise, which has been shown [31] to be particularly troublesome because of its impulsive, intrusive and incessant nature.…”

“…The spectrum of sound [4] frequency ranges from >1 to more than 20,000 cycles per second or Hz, with the range up to 20 Hz classified [5] as Infrasound, >20 -200 Hz as low frequency sound (the lowest note on a piano has a frequency of 33 Hz and Middle C, 262 Hz [6]), >200 -20,000 Hz as the human auditory range, and >20,000 Hz as Ultrasound. Strictly, pressure pulsations outside our auditory range cannot be described as sound but they are still able to exert an effect on us [5].…”

“…There is increasing evidence that Infrasound is perceived by the brain [7], and possibly by other sensory systems' vibratory A. Evans receptors [8]: in the vestibular organ of balance, skin and joints, rather than by those transmitting auditory sensation [7]. Another problem with noise in the lower registers is that it persists longer, travels further and, thanks to diffraction, can turn corners [6].…”

A Study on the Correlation of Physiological and Psychological Health Hazards in Human Habitats with Seismicity, Mountain Air Turbulence and Environmental Infrasound

“…Intense research is currently underway in this area to understand and mitigate windmill low frequency noise. Exposure of humans to infrasound at specific frequencies, amplitudes and durations are responsible for harmful effects like sustained annoyance and irritation [14] and aversion to live in the locality [15]. Sleep disorders [16] were noted when exposed to infrasound at frequencies between 6 and 16 Hz at 10 db.…”