Intra-abdominal sound pressure levels during impulse noise exposure in sheep

Ambient sound pressure levels (SPLs) created with intense blasts were compared with SPLs recorded in the abdomen of euthanized sheep. Hydrophones were placed in the abdominal cavity at locations referred to as proximal, medial, and distal with respect to a shock tube that created 169-dB peak SPL (pSPL). No differences in pSPL, duration, or rise time were found between recordings in air and at the intra-abdominal proximal position. Significant differences were noted in these variables when recordings in air were compared with recordings made at the medial and distal locations. Intra-abdominal pSPL varied by 20 dB depending on recording location.