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Sound exposure is the integral, over time, of squared sound pressure. The SI unit of sound exposure is the pascal squared second (Pa·s).

Mathematical definition

Sound exposure, denoted E, is defined by

${\displaystyle E=\int _{t_{0}}^{t_{1}}p(t)^{2}\,\mathrm {d} t,}$

where

• the exposure is being calculated for the time interval between times t₀ and t₁;
• p(t) is the sound pressure at time t, usually A-weighted for sound in air.

Sound exposure level

Sound exposure level (SEL) is a logarithmic measure of the sound exposure of a sound relative to a reference value.
Sound exposure level, denoted L_E and measured in dB, is defined by

${\displaystyle L_{E}={\frac {1}{2}}\ln \!\left({\frac {E}{E_{0}}}\right)\!~\mathrm {Np} =\log _{10}\!\left({\frac {E}{E_{0}}}\right)\!~\mathrm {B} =10\log _{10}\!\left({\frac {E}{E_{0}}}\right)\!~\mathrm {dB} ,}$

where

• E is the sound exposure;
• E₀ is the reference sound exposure;
• 1 Np = 1 is the neper;
• 1 B = ⁠1/2⁠ ln 10 is the bel;
• 1 dB = ⁠1/20⁠ ln 10 is the decibel.

The commonly used reference sound exposure in air is

${\displaystyle E_{0}=400~\mathrm {\mu Pa^{2}\cdot s} .}$

The proper notations for sound exposure level using this reference are L_{W/(400 μPa⋅s)} or L_W (re 400 μPa⋅s), but the notations dB SEL, dB(SEL), dBSEL, or dB_SEL are very common, even if they are not accepted by the SI.

References

1. "Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology – Part 3: Logarithmic and related quantities, and their units", IEC 60027-3 Ed. 3.0, International Electrotechnical Commission, 19 July 2002.
2. Ross Roeser, Michael Valente, Audiology: Diagnosis (Thieme 2007), p. 240.
3. Thompson, A. and Taylor, B. N. sec 8.7, "Logarithmic quantities and units: level, neper, bel", Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI) 2008 Edition, NIST Special Publication 811, 2nd printing (November 2008), SP811 PDF

• Sound measurements