GROWTH OF DISTORTION-PRODUCT OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS IN A NONLINEAR, ACTIVE MODEL OF COCHLEAR MECHANICS

Evidence of compressive growth of basilar membrane displacement can be observed in measurements of DPOAE. When the levels of the two stimulus tones are related by the formula L1=0.4 L2+39, then the DPOAE I/O function resembles the classic Fletcher-Munson (1933) loudness function. In order to understand how the DPOAE I/O function relates to the perception of loudness, we need to also understand how each of these response measures relates to basilar membrane displacement. The model of cochlear mechanics described here provides a means to directly compare the rate of growth of these three response measures.