❓ Hon Giz Watson inquires about potential exclusion zones and noise mitigation measures surrounding a proposed infrasound station in Shannon National Park, part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty verification. The Minister confirms no exclusion zone is planned and explains the station's design mitigates local noise interference.
AnsweredQoN 885Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
885. Hon Giz Watson to the Attorney General representing the Minister for the Environment:
With reference to the proposed location of an Infrasound Station in the Shannon National Park as part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty verification process -
(1) Will there be an exclusion zone based on sound or other factors around the station?
(2) If yes, what size or radius is the exclusion zone to be?
(3) If not, what measures will be required to prevent sound or other factors from disrupting the verification process?
With reference to the proposed location of an Infrasound Station in the Shannon National Park as part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty verification process -
(1) Will there be an exclusion zone based on sound or other factors around the station?
(2) If yes, what size or radius is the exclusion zone to be?
(3) If not, what measures will be required to prevent sound or other factors from disrupting the verification process?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 November 2000
Response time
62 days
The Minister Replied:
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The infrasound station is designed to record low frequency (0.1 to 4 Hz) pressure waves which would emanate from a large explosion in the atmosphere. (It is noted that such explosions generate sound energy over a much larger frequency range but the higher, audible, signals are much more rapidly attenuated and cannot be detected at large distances). The method of detecting these signals is by looking for coherent signals on four sensors - located in the form of a centred triangle with demensions of about two kilometres. Any local noise sources, eg vehicles, are unlikely to produce sufficient energy within the frquency range of interest to be recorded and will certainly not produce sound (pressure) waves that are coherent across sensors.
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The infrasound station is designed to record low frequency (0.1 to 4 Hz) pressure waves which would emanate from a large explosion in the atmosphere. (It is noted that such explosions generate sound energy over a much larger frequency range but the higher, audible, signals are much more rapidly attenuated and cannot be detected at large distances). The method of detecting these signals is by looking for coherent signals on four sensors - located in the form of a centred triangle with demensions of about two kilometres. Any local noise sources, eg vehicles, are unlikely to produce sufficient energy within the frquency range of interest to be recorded and will certainly not produce sound (pressure) waves that are coherent across sensors.
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