Report No. 6509 BBN Laboratories Incorporated

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Balaena mysticetus; Beaufort Sea
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.376.624; http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/31102024.pdf

The underwater acoustic environment and sound propagation characteristics associated with six offshore oil drilling sites in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea were measured during the mid-August to mid-September 1985 and 1986 periods. Analysis of the field data nas resulted in a compilation of ambient noise statistics, noise signatures of sources of sound associated with oil industry activities at those sites, and a quantitative ability to predict noise levels from oil industry activities as a function of distance from the sound source. Results of previous research regarding behavioral responses of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) to acoustic stimuli have been used in this study as well. The synthesis of the new acoustic data with prior information regarding whale behavioral response to underwater sound has permitted the derivation