Framework for wind noise studies

Morgan and Raspet [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 92, 1180-1183 (1992)] performed simultaneous wind velocity and wind noise measurements and determined that the wind noise spectrum is highly correlated with the wind velocity spectrum. In this paper, two methods are developed for predicting the upper limits of wind noise pressure spectra from fluctuating velocity spectra in the inertial range. Lower limits on wind noise are estimated from two theories of the pressure fluctuations that occur in turbulence when no wind screen or microphone is present. Empirical results for the self-noise of spherical and cylindrical windscreens in substantially nonturbulent flows are also presented. Measurements of the wind velocity spectra and wind noise spectra from a variety of windscreens are described and compared to the theoretical predictions. The wind noise data taken at the height of the anemometer lies between the upper and lower limits and the predicted self-noise is negligible. The theoretical framework allows windscreen reduction to be evaluated in terms of the turbulent inflow properties and establishes practical upper limits on wind noise reduction for varying wind conditions. (c) 2006 Acoustical Society of America.