The Masking of Tones by Repeated Bursts of Noise

Abstract

The masking of tones by continuous and interrupted noise was detd. for 3 noise intensities, 3 noise-time fractions, and rates of interruption varying from 0.5 to 512 interruptions per sec. The decrease in masking effectiveness as a result of the discontinuity of the masking noise depends principally on the duration of the silent interruption, and secondarily on the frequency of the masked tone and the intensity of the noise. A computational device is presented which will permit a first approximation of the masking produced by interrupted noises.