Re: "sound fields"

[jan schnupp <jan.schnupp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In applied mathematics people talk about a "field" whenever a ("dependent")
scalar variable which varies as a function of one or several other
"independent" variables. If you pick your dependent variable to be sound
pressure level and  time, frequency, spatial coordinates of source
position, and so on as your independent variables, then you get a
definition of sound field which is very "inclusive", but nevertheless
"mathematically exact". That definition may be a bit broad, but I find any
further restricitions would be very arbitrary, and wouldn't gain us
anything. Does that help?

Jan

At 00:32 03/12/00 -0000, you wrote:
>I wonder if the list(s) could help;
>I'm looking for opinions on reasonably inclusive definitions of the term :
>"sound field", in order to draw distinctions between this concept and the
>more general "sound environment".
>I'm sorry if this is somewhat 'off topic', but a variety of perspectives
>seems appropriate for this particular question.
>thanks (in advance)
>Peter Lennox
>Hardwick House
>tel: (0114) 2661509
>e-mail: peter@lennox01.freeserve.co.uk
>or:- ppl100@york.ac.uk
>
------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Jan Schnupp
Oxford University, Laboratory of Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, U.K.
Tel (+44-1865) 272 513  Fax (+44-1865) 272 469