Harmonized Shipping Sound Test Signals to Assess Effects on Aquatic Animals

One of the main aims of the EU Horizon 2020 research program SATURN (developing solutions to underwater radiated noise, https://www.saturnh2020.eu/) is to determine the relevant metrics of ship-radiated underwater sounds that can be related to effects on the physiology and behavior of aquatic animals. Where possible, these metrics will then be...

Pile driving acoustics made simple: Damped cylindrical spreading model

Sound produced by marine pile driving activities poses a possible risk to marine life. The assessment and mitigation of this risk requires a precise prediction of the expected levels. An analytical approach to estimate the radiated sound exposure levels is presented, based on the axial symmetry of the problem, resulting in damped cylindrical...

Mapping underwater noise for the Dutch part of North Sea (abstract)

The EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires member states (MS) to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020. Specifically, the wording of Descriptor 11 requires “underwater noise to be at levels that do not adversely affect the marine environment”. The MSFD further requires monitoring of “trends in the ambient...

The WODA guidance paper on underwater sound from dredging (abstract)

The World Organisation of Dredging Associations (WODA) has identified underwater sound as an environmental issue that needs further consideration. A WODA Expert Group on Underwater Sound (WEGUS) was established to provide a guidance paper on dredging sound, impact on aquatic biota and advice on underwater sound monitoring procedures. The paper...

Potential population consequences of active sonar disturbance in Atlantic herring: Estimating the maximum risk (abstract)

Effects of noise disturbance to fish populations may be predicted by using the four steps in the population consequences of acoustic disturbance (PCAD) model, with small scale exposure experiments as input. We have used the results from experimental studies on mortality and behavior of juvenile and adult herring exposed to naval sonar as input...

Insights into the Calculation of Metrics for Transient Sounds in Shallow Water

Concern about possible impact of human activity on marine life has led to regulation in the USA [1,2] and the EU [3].The EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive [3] requires member states to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020. Descriptor 11 of GES is “Introduction of energy, including underwater noise, is at levels that do not...

Insights into Optimal Soft Start and Shutdown Procedures for Stationary or Moving Sound Sources

To reduce the risk of impact on marine life of underwater sound generated by anthropogenic activities (such as offshore construction, seismic surveys and sonar searches), various mitigation measures are often put in place. Two commonly adopted mitigation measures are the soft start (or "ramp-up" – the two terms are used interchangeably) and ...