Defra UK Airport Noise Maps

Defra UK Airport Noise Maps Available


"In 1996 the European Commission issued a Green Paper in which it was stated that an estimated 20% of the EU citizens were exposed to noise levels that scientists and health experts considered to be unacceptable, at which most people become annoyed, sleep is disturbed and health may be at risk."


All available from
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/ambient.htm#aviation
(1 to 4mb PDF's with Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Rasters included, Arcview 3.2 was use - north arrow and scale bar giveaway there.)

Airports included:
Birmingham International Airport
Blackpool Squire’s Gate Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bristol Lulsgate Airport
Coventry Airport
Leeds Bradford Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
London City Airport
London Gatwick Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Luton Airport
London Stansted Airport
Manchester International Airport
Newcastle International Airport
Nottingham East Midlands Airport
Shoreham Airport
Southampton Eastleigh Airport
Southend Airport

Glossary to help understand the maps

Decibel (dB)
The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit of measurement that expresses the magnitude of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. Its logarithmic nature allows very large or very small ratios to be represented by a convenient number. Being a ratio, it is a dimensionless unit. Decibels are used for a wide variety of measurements including acoustics, and for audible sound A-weighted decibels (dBA) are commonly used.

dB(A)
A unit of sound pressure level, adjusted in accordance with the A weighting scale, which takes into account the increased sensitivity of the human ear at some frequencies

LAeq,T
The notional A-weighted equivalent continuous sound level which, if it occurred over the same time period, would give the same noise level as the actual varying sound level. The T denotes the time period over which the average is taken, for example LAeq,8h is the equivalent continuous noise level over a 8 hour period.

Lday
The A-weighted average sound level over the 12 hour day period of 0700 – 1900 hours.

Levening
The A-weighted average sound level over the 4 hour evening period of 1900 – 2300 hours.

Lnight
The A-weighted average sound level over the 8 hour night period of 2300 – 0700 hours.

Lden
The day, evening, night level, Lden is a logarithmic composite of the Lday, Levening, and Lnight levels but with 5 dB(A) being added to the Levening value and 10 dB(A) being added to the Lnight value

LAeq,16h
The A-weighted average sound level over the 16 hour period of 0700 - 2300

Noise Bands
Areas with similar noise exposure in 5 dB(A) ranges according to the key shown with the maps

Noise Contours
Lines showing the locations with the same noise exposure according to the key shown with the maps.