Acoustic Weapons - A Prospective Assessment

Acoustic weapons are under research and development in a few countries. Advertised as one type of non-lethal weapon, they are said to immediately incapacitate opponents while avoiding permanent physical damage. Reliable information on specifications or effects is scarce, however. The present article sets out to provide basic information in several areas: effects of large-amplitude sound on humans, potential high-power sources, and propagation of strong sound. Concerning the first area, it turns out that infrasound- prominent in journalistic articles- does not have the alleged drastic effects on humans. At audio frequencies, annoyance, discomfort and pain are the consequence of increasing sound pressure lev-els. Temporary worsening of hearing may turn into permanent hearing losses depend-ing on level, frequency, duration etc.; at very high sound levels, even one or a few short exposures can render a person partially or fully deaf. Ear protection, however, can be quite efficient in preventing these effects. Beyond hearing, some disturbance of the equilibrium, and intolerable sensations mainly in the chest can occur. Blast waves from explosions with their much higher overpressure at close range can damage othe