DISCOVER-AQ: a unique acoustic propagation verification and validation data set

In 2013, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted a month-long flight test for the “Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality” research effort in Houston, Texas. The goal of this flight test was to simultaneously collect pollution data from satellite-, aircraft- and ground-based emissions monitoring systems, which can then be compared and correlated, as well as detailed atmospheric, meteorological and aircraft position data. An opportunity arose to provide supplemental acoustic measurements during this flight test that could then be coupled with corresponding aircraft performance, aircraft position and meteorological data. Up to this point, there has been a significant need for high quality aircraft acoustic validation data sets that include detailed acoustic, meteorology, aircraft position and performance data representing a range of acoustic propagation geometries and meteorological conditions. Following these measurements, a comprehensive data set has been developed, in order to investigate, validate and improve the aircraft acoustic and performance modeling capabilities used in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Environmental Design Tool and other aircraft acoustic research efforts. This paper provides descriptions of the acoustic measurements, example validation data, and potential uses of the validation data.