Rod Self carries out research into how aircraft noise is produced, predicted and assessed. In particular he is interested in developing robust methods that can be used by industry to predict the noise produced by turbo-fan engine exhausts and other engine components. He also studies methods to predict noise around airports and how people who live nearby react to it.
Rod is a member of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Propulsion Systems Noise where he leads the jet noise team and leads the UTC's involvement in a number collaborative aircraft noise research projects with both UK and European partners. Current work being undertaken focusses on developing a prediction methodology for the noise produced when the exhaust jet flow mixes with the ambient air and how the noise varies depending on the design of the engine nozzle and the engine's mounting in close proximity to the wing (jet-wing interaction noise). These studies involve experimental investigations at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research's Doak Laboratory as well as theoretical studies.
The main aim of aircraft noise research is to find ways of reducing the noise burden experienced by communities living around airports. To this end Rod has led a research team in developing methods to predict the noise from likely future novel aircraft designs -- including electric aircraft. This involves understanding how such aircraft produce noise and predicting how it is distributed over the ground around airports.
