Contribution of iceberg sounds to the ambient noise budget in the South Pacific Ocean

Abstract

On May 2002, C19, a 5500 km2 iceberg calved from the Ross Ice Shelf, eventually drifting eastward into the open Pacific Ocean by 2008. As it sailed into warmer waters, thermal and wind stresses caused the iceberg to crack and break apart. These resulting “icequakes” projected wideband acoustic energy into the water column, influencing the regional ambient noise environment. Icequake noise was persistent and strong enough to be observed by NOAA’s eastern equatorial Pacific moored hydrophone (EEP-NW at 8N, 110W) as well as the hydroacoustic station of International Monitoring System (IMS) on Juan Fernandez Island (H03N at 33.44S, 78.91W). Elevated noise levels (maximum of ~+3 dB at NOAA’s EEP and ~+7 dB at IMS H03N hydrophones) were observed by both stations from early 2008 when C19a first appeared in the Pacific until it drifted into the Atlantic Ocean in early 2009. C19a’s icequake and calving activity was also most frequent during this same period. Seasonal changes and long-term trends in ambient noise levels at NOAA’s EEP-NW acoustic mooring (1996–2009) and IMS Juan Fernandez (2003–2010 years) and the unique acoustic role icebergs play in the Southern Ocean will be presented.