Peer Review Panel

The Challenge
Aircraft noise will continue to be a problem well into the next century. Even though the noise levels are being reduced by the introduction of new technology, projected growth in air traffic and increased sensitivity to noise near airports will demand even quieter aircraft. In 1997, NASA introduced a stretch "pillar" goal aimed at eliminating community noise problems near airports: Reduce the perceived noise levels of future aircraft by a factor of two (10 EPNdB) from 1997 subsonic aircraft by 2007, and by a factor of four (20 EPNdB) by 2022.

The Advanced Subsonic Technology Noise Reduction Program started in 1994 and is on schedule to provide noise reduction technology by 2001 that will meet half of the 10 dB goal. This program has mobilized researchers from NASA, U.S. industry, and universities to work on ways to reduce engine and airframe noise sources. The NASA Glenn Research Center is responsible for engine noise reduction.

The researchers and manufacturers will need to overcome many challenges to meet a 20-dB aircraft noise reduction goal. It will be important to aggressively pursue new ideas but also not overlook what has been done in the past. There is a wealth of information available from the extensive research that has been done over the past 50 years. There are still active researchers from around the world that have contributed this work.

It is clear that there is a need to refocus the efforts of these researchers on the new challenges and to bring new researchers into the field.

A mechanism for attracting these people is needed. These researchers, working collaboratively with researchers from NASA Glenn, will increase the potential to meet aircraft noise reduction goals.

The Challenge Accepted
A virtual Aeroacoustics Research Consortium (AARC) has been established by NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and its partners (GE, Boeing, Honeywell International, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce). It is expected that the consortium will attract world-class researchers who will reside at GRC for various lengths of time. It is also expected that researchers will continue to be connected with GRC and industry partners at their home institutions. Accordingly, the Consortium will represent a dynamic, supplementary, workforce of researchers that will be regularly replenished. New PhD's, as well as faculty, who are performing cutting edge aeroacoustics research will be sought to bring new ideas, methods, and concepts to GRC and to interact with industry members. Researchers will also be invited from U.S. industry and governmental laboratories to complement this virtual workforce. Every effort will be made to attract the very best aeroacoustics researchers in the world.

The specific mission of the Aeroacoustics Research Consortium is to establish an organizational structure to promote world-class aeroacoustics research while providing a stimulating environment that can attract high-quality researchers in this area and complement the NASA GRC acoustic research workforce.

Both analytical (numerical) and experimental pre-competitive research will be pursued within the Aeroacoustics Research Consortium. The initial research emphasis will be on high-risk technology in the following areas:

• Fundamentals of jet noise source definition and prediction
• Computational Aeroacoustics (CAA)
• Core noise
• Fan broadband noise

The objectives of the Aeroacoustics Research Consortium are:

1. To attract acoustics experts from around the world to conduct high-quality aeroacoustics research (computational and/or experimental);
2. To concentrate research efforts on technical barrier problems associated with engine noise prediction and reduction; and
3. To emphasize fundamental understanding of noise generation from engine components (such as fans, jets, core) through analytical and experimental methods.

It is also envisioned that the Aeroacoustics Research Consortium will organize and host technical meetings, seminars, workshops, short courses, and conferences that will bring additional focus and visibility to the aeroacoustics research.

In summary, the proposed Aeroacoustics Research Consortium is expected to be a very visible, cost-effective, strategic national asset for GRC, industry, other governmental laboratories, and universities.