UCL researchers study sound in the Arctic Circle, the Dolomites and the Cairngorms

Our own Tin Oberman has recently returned from the University of Helsinki's Biological Research Station at the Malla Strict Nature Reserve, Finland, in the Arctic Circle. He was there to conduct field work on the perception of natural soundscapes. The study included a soundwalk with the researchers from the Nordic countries (University of Helsinki, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, University of Oulu, Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and local residents, taking 3D recordings and acoustic measurements in the middle of a frozen lake, directly over a common snowmobile track.

This project is part of the ongoing collaboration between UCL and University of Trento within the ‘Silenzi in Quota’ initiative, which is about exploring human perception of acoustic environments that can be found in protected natural areas which are rarely as pristine as people would generally expect. The project seeks to combine public engagement and research activities by celebrating the beauty of natural quiet areas, but also to raise awareness of the adverse effects on well-being caused by noise sources / pollution, with that noise pollution often being generated by the visitors' activities themselves.

Image: The fieledwork team in action  in the Cairngorms, Scotland (Image credit: Tin Oberman)

In the past two years, the team members have completed group soundwalks in protected natural areas and held workshops on soundscape research using methods outlined in the ISO 12913 series. The project is supported by the UK Acoustics Network Plus (via EPSRC) and has also received funding from UCL Global Engagement Fund and attracted sponsorship by HEAD Acoustics GmbH and Montura. Tin’s collaborative work pioneering acoustic research with ISO 12913 Soundscape: Acoustics standards in national parks, and brought together global soundscape researchers with musicians, photographers and video makers to document public engagement in critical listening soundwalks in the Cairngorms in Scotland, the Italian Dolomites and Lapland in Finland, measuring people’s acoustic perception in-situ, which is essential to enable the management and preservation of treasured environments such as regional and national parks. For this work, the UCL and the University of Trento teams won the John Connell Highly Commended soundscape award in October 2023.

Prof Jian Kang from the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering noted:

“I've experienced the breaking sound of ice bergs in an extremely quiet environment. It makes you appreciate how shocking a sound can be and makes you really appreciate nature...(i)n contrast, I had the experience of being in a similar when some people walked into the area with a loudspeaker, playing their music...(t)here are so many dimensions we should consider when managing soundscape in those areas.

Links

• Learn more about the ‘Silenzi in Quota’ initiative – access this external webpage.
• Learn more about the work of Tin Oberman – access this internal webpage

Image credit: Mario Pedron