Anthropogenic noise impacts marine mammals in a variety of ways. In order to estimate over which ranges this happens, we first need to understand the propagation of noise through the ocean away from the noise source, and, second, understand the relationship between received noise levels and impact thresholds. A software package combining both aspects is presented. (1) A sound propagation model based on ray theory was developed to calculate received noise levels as a function of range, depth, and frequency. (2) Current knowledge of noise impact thresholds for marine mammals was gathered and included in software routines predicting zones of impact on marine mammals around industrial underwater noise sources. As input parameters, this software package requires the source level and spectrum of the noise of interest; physical oceanography data about the local ocean environment such as bathymetry, bottom and surface loss data, and sound speed profiles; and bioacoustical information about the target species in the form of an audiogram, critical auditory bandwidths, spectra of typical animal vocalizations, reported sound levels of disturbance, and criteria for hearing damage. As output, the software produces data files and plots of the zones of audibility, masking, disturbance, and potential hearing damage around a noise source.
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September 2000
September 01 2000
A software model to estimate zones of impact on marine mammals around anthropogenic noise
Christine Erbe;
Christine Erbe
Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada
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David M. Farmer
David M. Farmer
Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada
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J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108, 1327–1331 (2000)
Article history
Received:
July 27 1999
Accepted:
June 16 2000
Citation
Christine Erbe, David M. Farmer; A software model to estimate zones of impact on marine mammals around anthropogenic noise. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 September 2000; 108 (3): 1327–1331. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1288939
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