Flow and aerosol dispersion from wind musical instruments

TL;DR

This study investigates aerosol dispersion from wind instruments, finding they emit aerosols similar to speech but with lower flow speeds, and aerosols generally settle within 2 meters, informing safety measures during pandemics.

Contribution

It provides new empirical data on aerosol production and dispersion patterns specific to wind instruments, aiding understanding of infection risks in musical settings.

Findings

Aerosol levels are comparable to speech in quantity and size.

Flow speeds are lower than coughing or sneezing.

Aerosols typically settle within 2 meters from the instrument.

Abstract

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many live musical activities had to be postponed and even canceled to protect musicians and audience. Orchestral ensembles face a particular challenge of contamination because they are personnel heavy and instrumentally diverse. A chief concern is whether wind instruments are vectors of contamination through aerosol dispersion. This study, made possible by the participation of members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, brings insight on the modes of production and early life of aerosols of human origin emitted by wind instruments. We find that these instruments produce aerosol levels that are comparable to normal speech in quantity and size distribution. However, the exit jet flow speeds are much lower than violent expiratory events (coughing, sneezing). For most wind instruments, the flow decays to background indoor-air levels at approximately 2 meters away from the instrument's opening. Long range aerosol dispersion is thus via ambient air currents.