Three-dimensional anthropogenic underwater noise modeling in an Arctic fjord for acoustic risk assessment

• Published in: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Main Authors: Richard, Gaëtan, Mathias, Delphine, Collin, Jéremy, Chauvaud, Laurent, Bonnel, Julien
• Other Authors: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Société d’Observation Multi-Modale de l’Environnement Plouzané, Université de Brest (UBO), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: Acoustic models; Three-dimensional propagation; Masking Noise pollution; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; [SDE.IE]Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering; Arctic; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-03979851; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114487

International audience Sea-ice covering is drastically declining in the Arctic, opening new maritime routes and thus introducing underwater noise pollution in nearly pristine acoustic environments. Evaluating underwater noise pollution requires good acoustic propagation modeling to predict sound exposure levels. However, underwater noise modeling for acoustic risk assessments has often been carried out using simplistic propagation models, which approximate a 3D propagation in several planes (Nx2D), instead of using full 3D propagation models. However, Nx2D propagation models are impractical for winding geography and steep bathymetry as found in Arctic fjords. The purpose of this study is to estimate disturbance and masking effects on Arctic animal species from shipping noises, modeled through a traditional Nx2D BELLHOP model and a full 3D BELLHOP model. Classical Nx2D propagation modeling largely underestimates the anthropogenic noise footprint in Arctic fjords compared to using a full 3D propagation model.