A long-term observation program begun in approximately 1994 has amassed time-series of ambient sound short-time spectra from omni-directional hydrophones deployed on the ocean floor at seven locations in the northern Pacific Ocean. Each time-series consists of spectra estimated every 5 min over a useful band of 10–500 Hz, thereby encompassing the vocalizations of baleen whales, the anthropogenic contribution of ship traffic noise, and wind/wave noise due to sea surface processes. Simple linear trend lines show that traffic noise in the northern and northwestern reaches of the Pacific has increased by as much as 3 to 4 dB during this program. In the eastern North Pacific, however, the ambient sound shows a decrease of about 3 dB. The number of ships in the world merchant fleet increased by approximately 25% over this period. This change is insufficient to explain the increases in noise levels along northern and northwestern regions, and provides no explanation for the decreases observed in the north-east. The traffic noise field is evidently dependent on more complex temporal and geographical patterns of shipping traffic. [Work supported by ONR.]
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November 2013
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November 01 2013
Interdecadal trends in ocean ambient sound at seven sites in the northern Pacific Ocean basin
Rex K. Andrew;
Rex K. Andrew
Appl. Phys. Lab., Univ. of Washington, 1013 NE 40th St., Seattle, WA 98040, rex@apl.washington.edu
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Bruce M. Howe;
Bruce M. Howe
Ocean & Res. Eng., Univ. of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, HI
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James A. Mercer
James A. Mercer
Appl. Phys. Lab., Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA
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J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 4179 (2013)
Citation
Rex K. Andrew, Bruce M. Howe, James A. Mercer; Interdecadal trends in ocean ambient sound at seven sites in the northern Pacific Ocean basin. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 November 2013; 134 (5_Supplement): 4179. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4831318
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