Share

Acoustics World Wide press room now open

Dozens of lay language papers available online

November 21, 2007 -- Reporters interested in the upcoming Acoustical Society of America (ASA) meeting in New Orleans are invited to visit the associated World Wide pressroom even if they cannot attend in person. On this site are posted dozens of lay language papers selected from among the 600 talks and posters, which relate to fields as diverse as psychology, physics, sound engineering, marine biology, medicine, meteorology, and music.

For more information, please visit the ASA World Wide pressroom: http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/lay_lang.html. Some specific highlights:

PLUCKING THE INTERNET

A look at distributed musical instruments and remote musical collaboration, using the web. One can actually "play the network" as a guitar or flute stretching between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Chris Chafe, CCRMA/Music, Stanford Univ
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/chafe.html

POSSIBLE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER VOCALIZATIONS

Video clips and other evidence of encounters with this mysterious and magnificent bird.
Michael D. Collins, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/collins.html

LISTENING TO HURRICANE KATRINA

A hurricane produces “naturally occurring” low-pitch infrasound that humans are unable to hear. But special low-pitch atmospheric pressure sensors can measure the pitch and strength of hurricanes and possibly help to predict changes in these violent storms.

Ronald A. Wagstaff, University of Mississippi
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/wagstaff.html

ACOUSTIC DETECTION OF LAND MINES

An alternative acoustic method for detecting nonmetal land mines is based on the fact that the presence of a mine affects ground vibration.

Laurent Fillinger, Stevens Institute of Technology
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/fillinger.html

HOW SQUISHY ARE JELLYFISH?

Density and sound speed measurements made from comb jellies and Lion's Mane jellyfish in local bays in Long Island, New York can help measure the animals’ populations in their own environment.

Joseph D. Warren, Stony Brook University
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/warren.html

LIZARD EARS AND ANCESTRAL HEARING

Learning how geckos hear as the sound travels not only from outside to in, but across their mouth cavities.

Catherine Carr, University of Maryland
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/carr.html

BETTER DETECTION OF THYROID CANCER

Harder tissues produce a significantly different acoustic field than softer tissues, and a novel, non-invasive imaging technique called vibro-acoustography may be able to detect the difference between stiff malignant lesions and softer benign lesions in the thyroid.

Azra Alizad, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/alizad.html

A MODERN TAKE ON THE ANCIENT MRIDANGAM

A modern update to a traditional South Indian drum. Studies show the metal structures can replace wheat paste without affecting the quality of sound.

Rohan Krishnamurthy, Kalamazoo College
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/krishnamurthy.html

INEQUITIES IN PHYSICS ACCESS IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Despite reports to the contrary, the availability of high school physics courses is not equitably distributed throughout the United States, particularly in urban districts.

Angela M. Kelly, City University of New York
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/kelly.html

FOOTSTEP SOUNDS AT ULTRASONIC FREQUENCIES

Footsteps are louder coming toward you than going away, and can be heard with acoustic devices even in a noisy urban environment.

Alexander Ekimov, University of Mississippi
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/ekimov.html

DIGITALLY ENHANCED PRACTICE

New forms of digital signal processing allows a broom-closet-sized practice space sound more like a concert hall.

Ron Freiheit, Wenger Corp.
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/freiheit.html

A FLOATING OPERA HOUSE FOR TORONTO

A new performing space is a building within a building since it rides on a vibration-isolation system, keeping the nearby subway trains at bay.

Steven L.Wolfe, Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc.
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/wolfe.html

SOUND FOCUSED PERSONAL AUDIO SYSTEM

Can you imagine listening to music at a comfortable volume on loudspeakers while people standing right next to you cannot even hear it?

Chan-Hui Lee, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/lee.html

RESPONSE OF GOPHER TORTOISES TO MILITARY TRAINING OPERATIONS:

A military training ground tracks tortoises with high tech tags and sensors.

David Delaney, US Army Corps of Engineers
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/delaney.html

WHY DO WHALES SING?

Humpback whales may copy other whales' songs because this enables them to more clearly observe what is happening around them. Rather than copying songs to better attract females, they copy songs to more easily find other whales.

Eduardo Mercado III, University of Buffalo, State University of New York.
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/mercado.html

SSSSH! WE'RE TRACKING WHALES!

Since 2004, scientists have been tagging and tracking humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to better understand their behavior.

Val Schmidt, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
http://www.acoustics.org/press/154th/schmidt.html

PRESS ATTENDANCE

While there are no press conferences scheduled for the meeting, AIP and ASA staff will be onsite to help you set up interviews with presenters, obtain background information on a story, and provide any other resources you may need. If you would like to attend or want to receive additional information, please contact Jason Bardi at jbardi@aip.org or (cell) 858-775-4080. During the meeting, the on-site press contact will be Martha Heil mheil@aip.org or (cell) 626-354-5613.

GENERAL INFORMATION

More information about the meeting is at http://asa.aip.org/neworleans/information.html. Reporters can download meeting abstracts at http://asa.aip.org/neworleans/program.html. For the latest information about the city of New Orleans, please visit the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau website at http://www.neworleanscvb.com/.

HOTEL INFORMATION

The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel is the headquarters hotel. Reservations information can be made by phone by calling 504-525-2500 (toll free: 1-888-627-7033), or online at: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=0705236872&key=37743

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its approximately 7000 worldwide members represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Acoustics Today magazine, books and standards on acoustics. ASA holds two major scientific meetings each year. It is a member society of the American Institute of Physics. For more information about the Society, please visit ASA's Web site at http://asa.aip.org.

Share

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.