White noise and pure tone masking of pure tone thresholds of a harbour seal listening in air and underwater

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 2090-2097 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Turnbull ◽  
J. M. Terhune
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Noise Spectrum ◽  
Harbour Seal ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Pooled Data ◽  
Critical Bandwidth ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Limited Frequency

Background noises mask the detection of sound throughout a limited frequency range termed the critical bandwidth. Critical bandwidths of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) were measured, using behavioural psychophysical techniques, by indirect (critical ratios) and direct (two-tone masking) methods underwater and in air. Underwater critical ratios were determined at 4, 8, 16, and 32 kHz, using white noise spectrum levels of 50, 56, 60, and (or) 70 dB re 1 μPa. The critical ratios (pooled data, threshold ±SD) were 19 ± 9, 22 ± 7, 25 ± 7, and 27 ± 5 dB for the respective frequencies. In-air critical ratios were determined at 2, 4, 8, and 16 kHz, using white noise spectrum levels ranging from 23 to 50 dB re 20 μPa. The critical ratios (pooled data) were 25 ± 8, 23 ± 10, 21 ± 15, and 23 ± 16 dB for the respective frequencies. The arithmetic mean of the critical ratios in both media was 23 dB. This suggests that the seal is equally sensitive to pure tone signals in the presence of broad band noise in both air and water. Direct measurements of the critical bandwidth underwater were determined at 4, 8, 16, and 32 kHz, using a pure tone masker ranging from 96 to 120 dB re 1 μPa. In-air direct measurements of the critical bandwidth were measured at 2, 4, and 8 kHz, using a pure tone masker set at 80 dB re 20 μPa. The bandwidths, estimated at 23 dB below the masking level, were all under 2.25 kHz and become proportionately narrow at higher frequencies. These results show a narrow critical bandwidth for the harbour seal, thus indicating high frequency resolution in both media. The directly measured critical bandwidths from the two-tone masking study were not 2.5 times the critical bandwidth estimated from the critical ratios, as previously reported in some other mammals.

Masked and unmasked pure tone detection thresholds of a harbour seal listening in air

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 2059-2066 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Terhune
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Phoca Vitulina ◽  
Harbour Seal ◽  
Optimal Conditions ◽  
Vascular Changes ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Noise Masker ◽  
Auditory Systems ◽  
Tone Detection

In-air pure tone detection thresholds of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) were measured using behavioural psychophysical techniques. Thresholds dropped from about 70 dB re 20 μPa at 0.1 kHz to about 35 dB re 20 μ Pa at 4 kHz and then increased to about 45 dB re 20 μPa at 16 kHz. Increased sensitivities at 2 and 8 kHz, which have been reported in other pinnipeds, were not evident. In-air intensity detection thresholds averaged 32 dB above their underwater counterparts (1–16 kHz). Masking studies found the critical ratios at 0.25, 0.5, and 1 kHz to be 24, 15, and 21 dB, respectively (white noise masker). From 0.2 to 1.5 kHz, bandwidths 20 dB below the level of pure tone maskers were 0.16–0.18 kHz. Circumstantial evidence suggests the possibility that blood vascular changes associated with diving might also influence the sensitivity of the auditory systems of seals. Under optimal conditions, a pup's airborne cries may be detected by its mother at ranges of 1 km or more.

Changes in masked thresholds of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) associated with angular separation of signal and noise sources

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 1863-1866 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Noise Source ◽  
Angular Separation ◽  
Phoca Vitulina ◽  
Harbour Seal ◽  
Noise Sources ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Noise Masker ◽  
Significant Difference

The masked pure tone thresholds of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) were measured at various angles using a white noise masker. The white noise source was placed at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° relative to the midline of the seal's head (0°). The masked pure tone thresholds for each angle were determined at 2, 4, 8, and 16 kHz. As the angle separating the signal and noise sources increased from 0° to 90°, the critical ratios of the harbour seal decreased by 1–4 dB. This shift in masked thresholds from a reference point of 0° azimuth was significant (H = 10.374, df = 3,16, p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in masked thresholds between 0° and 30° or between 60° and 90°. This indicates that if a noise source is separated by more than 30° relative to the location of a vocalizing seal, signal detection thresholds will be enhanced and communication distances increased.

Real-ear Masking Calibration for Portable Pure-Tone Audiometers

1984 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-294
Author(s):  
Martin S. Robinette ◽  
Robert H. Brey
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Resistive Network ◽  
Many Instruments

A transformer mixing network is described which allows the calibration of broad-band masking for portable audiometers that lack a built-in mixing network. For many instruments the transformer network is preferable to the resistive network previously published.

scholarly journals Functional Role of Auditory Cortex in Frequency Processing and Pitch Perception

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Jude Tramo ◽  
Gaurav D. Shah ◽  
Louis D. Braida
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Frequency Change ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Difference Thresholds ◽  
Frequency Processing

Microelectrode studies in nonhuman primates and other mammals have demonstrated that many neurons in auditory cortex are excited by pure tone stimulation only when the tone's frequency lies within a narrow range of the audible spectrum. However, the effects of auditory cortex lesions in animals and humans have been interpreted as evidence against the notion that neuronal frequency selectivity is functionally relevant to frequency discrimination. Here we report psychophysical and anatomical evidence in favor of the hypothesis that fine-grained frequency resolution at the perceptual level relies on neuronal frequency selectivity in auditory cortex. An adaptive procedure was used to measure difference thresholds for pure tone frequency discrimination in five humans with focal brain lesions and eight normal controls. Only the patient with bilateral lesions of primary auditory cortex and surrounding areas showed markedly elevated frequency difference thresholds: Weber fractions for frequency direction discrimination (“higher”—“lower” pitch judgments) were about eightfold higher than Weber fractions measured in patients with unilateral lesions of auditory cortex, auditory midbrain, or dorsolateral frontal cortex; Weber fractions for frequency change discrimination (“same”—“different” pitch judgments) were about seven times higher. In contrast, pure-tone detection thresholds, difference thresholds for pure tone duration discrimination centered at 500 ms, difference thresholds for vibrotactile intensity discrimination, and judgments of visual line orientation were within normal limits or only mildly impaired following bilateral auditory cortex lesions. In light of current knowledge about the physiology and anatomy of primate auditory cortex and a review of previous lesion studies, we interpret the present results as evidence that fine-grained frequency processing at the perceptual level relies on the integrity of finely tuned neurons in auditory cortex.

SIGNAL DETECTION ENHANCED BY COMODULATED NOISE

2006 ◽  
Vol 06 (04) ◽  
pp. L339-L347 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL BUSCHERMÖHLE ◽  
ULRIKE FEUDEL ◽  
GEORG M. KLUMP ◽  
MARK A. BEE ◽  
JAN A. FREUND
Keyword(s):  
Signal Detection ◽  
Auditory System ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
General Phenomenon ◽  
Detection Scheme ◽  
Hearing Research ◽  
Limited Frequency ◽  
Detection Of Signals ◽  
Comodulated Noise

Signal detection in fluctuating background noise is a common problem in diverse fields of research and technology. It has been shown in hearing research that the detection of signals in noise that is correlated in amplitude across the frequency spectrum (comodulated) can be improved compared to uncorrelated background noise. We show that the mechanism leading to this effect is a general phenomenon which may be utilized in other areas where signal detection in comodulated noise needs to be done with a limited frequency resolution. Our model is based on neurophysiological experiments. The proposed signal detection scheme evaluates a fluctuating envelope, the statistics of which depend on the correlation structure across the spectrum of the noise. In our model, signal detection does not require a sophisticated neuronal network but can be accomplished through the encoding of the compressed stimulus envelope in the firing rate of neurons in the auditory system.

Processing of frequency-modulated sounds in the cat's anterior auditory field

1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 1959-1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Tian ◽  
J. P. Rauschecker
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Sweep Rate ◽  
Direction Selectivity ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Complex Sounds ◽  
Range Rate ◽  
Auditory Field

1. Single-neuron activity was recorded from the anterior auditory field (AAF) in the cortex of gas-anesthetized cats. 2. Tone bursts and broad-band complex sounds were used for auditory stimulation. Responses to frequency-modulated (FM) sounds, in particular, were studied systematically. 3. Linear FM sweeps were centered around the best frequency (BF) of a neuron and had an excursion large enough to cover its whole frequency tuning range. Rate and direction of change of the FM sweeps were varied. 4. In 69% of the FM responses, a peak was found at an instantaneous frequency that corresponded to the BF in the pure-tone response. Thirty-three percent of the units had multiple maxima in their FM response. These secondary maxima were not always reflected in the pure-tone response of the same neurons. 5. The vast majority of AAF neurons showed one of two types of selectivity for FM rate. Depending on the criterion, almost half of the cells (46%) preferred fast changes of > 200 Hz/ms (high-pass) in both FM directions. Forty-eight percent of all neurons showed band-pass behavior with a clear preference in the middle range of FM rates in one or both directions. Low-pass or all-pass neurons made up only a small proportion (4 and 1%, respectively) of AAF neurons. 6. When both directions of an FM sweep (low-to-high and high-to-low-frequency) were tested, 66% of the neurons clearly were selective for one direction. This selectivity was not present necessarily at the preferred FM rate. In general, FM direction selectivity was most pronounced at slower FM rates. 7. The selectivity of AAF neurons for the rate and direction of FM sounds makes these neurons suitable for the detection and analysis of communication sounds, which often contain FM components with a particular sweep rate and direction.

Repetition enhances hearing detection thresholds in a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 926-932 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Turnbull ◽  
J. M. Terhune
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Phoca Vitulina ◽  
Harbour Seal ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Noise Masking ◽  
Phoca Groenlandica ◽  
Hearing Thresholds ◽  
Lower Detection ◽  
Pinniped Species

Pure-tone hearing thresholds of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) were measured in air and underwater using behavioural psychophysical techniques. A 50-ms sinusoidal pulse was presented in both white-noise masked and unmasked situations at pulse repetition rates of 1, 2, 4, and 10/s. Test frequencies were 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 kHz in air and 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 kHz underwater. Relative to 1 pulse/s, mean threshold shifts were −1, −3, and −5 dB at 2, 4, and 10 pulses/s, respectively. The threshold shifts from 1 to 10 pulses/s were significant (F = 12.457, df = 2,36, p < 0.001) and there was no difference in the threshold shifts between the masked and unmasked situations (F = 2.585; df = 1,50; p > 0.10). Broadband masking caused by meteorological or industrial sources will closely resemble the white-noise situation. At high calling rates, the numerous overlapping calls of some species (e.g., harp seal, Phoca groenlandica) present virtually continous "background noise" which also resembles the broadband white-noise masking situation. An implication of lower detection thresholds is that if a seal regularly repeats short vocalizations, the communication range of that call could be increased significantly (80% at 10 pulses/s). This could have important implications during the breeding season should storms or shipping noises occur or when some pinniped species become increasingly vocal and the background noise of conspecifics increases.

Potentials evoked by sound in the auditory cortex of the cat

1961 ◽  
Vol 200 (6) ◽  
pp. 1219-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Gumnit ◽  
Robert G. Grossman
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
White Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Evoked Response ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Positive Potential ◽  
Positive Wave ◽  
Natural Sleep ◽  
Negative Shift ◽  
Long Duration

The electrical responses of the auditory cortex of awake, loosely restrained cats were examined with chronically implanted calomel electrodes and d-c recording systems. Stimulation with a single click evoked a complex triphasic response in which a large surface positive potential (duration, 250 msec) followed the classic diphasic response. This second positive wave was absent in natural sleep and under light barbiturate anesthesia. A similar late positive wave of long duration, evoked by a flash of light, was found in the visual cortex. A rapid series of clicks evoked a surface negative shift which was maintained for the duration of the stimulus. A tone or white noise presented for several seconds evoked a negative shift of the same general form. A pure tone of moderate intensity presented simultaneously with a click greatly enhanced the click-evoked response. White noise of moderate intensity presented simultaneously with a click diminished the size of the click-evoked response.

Recovery of auditory threshold following exposures to a pure tone and white noise.

1992 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 2381-2382
Author(s):  
I. M. Young ◽  
L. D. Lowry ◽  
H. Menduke
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Auditory Threshold
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