Sound sources in the marine environment

Abstract

Regulation of underwater sound requires a good understanding of the sound emitted from various sound sources into the marine environment. Underwater sound sources can be subdivided into three main categories: geological, biological, and anthropogenic sources. While regulation of underwater sound self-evidently applies solely to anthropogenic sound, contributions from the other categories need to be taken into account when assessing the potential influence of man-made sound on the marine fauna. In addition to focusing on single offshore operations, cumulative noise exposure and cumulative stressors are relevant aspects for the regulation of underwater sound and need to be considered too. In this presentation, the main underwater sound contributors from each category will be identified, and the related sounds characterized and compared in relation to the overall marine sound energy budget. Important implications with regard to physical parameters of sound will be briefly discussed. Current approaches to measuring, monitoring, and modeling underwater sound and how regulation can benefit from these different techniques will be reviewed.