For the 119 species of marine mammals, as well as for some other aquatic animals, sound is the primary means of learning about the environment and of communicating, navigating, and foraging. The possibility that human-generated noise could harm marine mammals or significantly interfere with their normal activities is an issue of increasing concern. Noise and its potential impacts have been regulated since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Public awareness of the issue escalated in 1990s when researchers began using high-intensity sound to measure ocean climate changes. More recently, the stranding of beaked whales in proximity to Navy sonar use has again put the issue in the spotlight. Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals reviews sources of noise in the ocean environment, what is known of the responses of marine mammals to acoustic disturbance, and what models exist for describing ocean noise and marine mammal responses. Recommendations are made for future data gathering efforts, studies of marine mammal behavior and physiology, and modeling efforts necessary to determine what the long- and short-term impacts of ocean noise on marine mammals.

Underwater Acoustic Modeling and Simulation, Fourth Edition continues to provide the most authoritative overview of currently available propagation, noise, reverberation, and sonar-performance models. This fourth edition of a bestseller discusses the fundamental processes involved in simulating the performance of underwater acoustic systems and emphasizes the importance of applying the proper modeling resources to simulate the behavior of sound in virtual ocean environments. New to the Fourth Edition Extensive new material that addresses recent advances in inverse techniques and marine-mammal protection Problem sets in each chapter Updated and expanded inventories of available models Designed for readers with an understanding of underwater acoustics but who are unfamiliar with the various aspects of modeling, the book includes sufficient mathematical derivations to demonstrate model formulations and provides guidelines for selecting and using the models. Examples of each type of model illustrate model formulations, model assumptions, and algorithm efficiency. Simulation case studies are also included to demonstrate practical applications. Providing a thorough source of information on modeling resources, this book examines the translation of our physical understanding of sound in the sea into mathematical models that simulate acoustic propagation, noise, and reverberation in the ocean. The text shows how these models are used to predict and diagnose the performance of complex sonar systems operating in the undersea environment.

This monograph develops the theory of noise mechanisms and measurements, and describes general noise characteristics and computational methods. The vast ambient noise literature is concisely summarized using theory combined with key representative results. The air sea boundary interaction zone is described in terms of nondimensional variables requisite for future experiments. Noise field coherency, rare directional measurements, and unique basin scale computations and methods are presented. The use of satellite measurements in these basin scale models is demonstrated. A series of appendices provides in-depth mathematical treatments which will be of interest to graduate students and active researchers.

This is an unparalleled modern handbook reflecting the richly interdisciplinary nature of acoustics edited by an acknowledged master in the field. The handbook reviews the most important areas of the subject, with emphasis on current research. The authors of the various chapters are all experts in their fields. Each chapter is richly illustrated with figures and tables. The latest research and applications are incorporated throughout, including computer recognition and synthesis of speech, physiological acoustics, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications and acoustical oceanography. An accompanying CD-ROM contains audio and video files.