Citation

Jauchem JR, Cook MC. Mil. Med. 2007; 172(2): 182-189.

Affiliation

U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Human Effectiveness Directorate, Directed Energy Bioeffects Division, Brooks City-Base, San Antonio, TX 78235-5147, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17357774

Abstract

There have been many previous claims of nonlethal acoustic weapon effects, mostly in the popular rather than the scientific literature. Anecdotal reports of extraordinary effects can make meaningful assessment and review of this area very difficult. Acoustics research has shown that the nonlethal weapon capabilities of audible sound generators have been grossly overstated. Although high-intensity infrasound significantly disrupted animal behavior in some experiments, the generation of such energy in a volume large enough to be of practical use is unlikely because of basic physical principles. On the basis of experimentation completed to date at a number of institutions, it seems unlikely that high-intensity acoustic energy in the audible, infrasonic, or low-frequency range can provide a device suitable for use as a nonlethal weapon.

Language: en