Silent Night – The Acoustics of Snow

Have you noticed how much more peaceful it seems when it snows? It is not just a seasonal ambiance. Would it surprise you to know that the science of acoustics is at play? Our everyday surroundings contain a variety of surfaces; some reflect, some diffuse, and some absorb. It only takes a little snow cover to transform our environment into a peaceful wonderland of acoustic absorption.

Freshly fallen snow exhibits a sound absorption coefficient upwards of 0.6 [fully reflective being 0 / fully absorptive being 1]. The deeper, powdery, and more porous snow is the most absorptive, which may seem evident while marveling at untouched, freshly fallen snow. This effect can be short-lived, however, as melting snow fills in the porous fluffy ground cover. If given the chance to re-freeze, hard icy patches that form would be even more reflective than the ground underneath.

Winter snow and ice have a known effect on ambient noise measurements. In areas with harsh winters, some regulatory agencies even require ambient noise measurements to be collected with and without snow cover. Fortunately, you can leave the struggles of winter noise data collection to us. During this holiday season we hope you get ample opportunities to bundle up with loved ones, step outside clutching a warm beverage after a freshly fallen show, and marvel at the still, silent ambiance before it melts away.

At D.L. Adams Associates, sound is our business.  Contact us to learn how we can help you with your next project.