Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array
Recordings of narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation signals were made using a linear 16 hydrophone array in the pack ice of Baffin Bay, West Greenland in 2013 at eleven sites. An average-3 dB beam width of 5.0 degrees makes the narwhal click the most directional biosonar signal reported for any s...
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ftpubman:oai:pure.mpg.de:item_3192948 2023-08-27T04:07:54+02:00 Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array Koblitz, J. Stilz, P. Rasmussen, M. Laidre, K. 2016-11-09 http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0005-A4EA-A unknown info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0162069 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0005-A4EA-A PLoS One info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2016 ftpubman https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162069 2023-08-02T00:12:47Z Recordings of narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation signals were made using a linear 16 hydrophone array in the pack ice of Baffin Bay, West Greenland in 2013 at eleven sites. An average-3 dB beam width of 5.0 degrees makes the narwhal click the most directional biosonar signal reported for any species to date. The beam shows a dorsal-ventral asymmetry with a narrower beam above the beam axis. This may be an evolutionary advantage for toothed whales to reduce echoes from the water surface or sea ice surface. Source level measurements show narwhal click intensities of up to 222 dB pp re 1 mu Pa, with a mean apparent source level of 215 dB pp re 1 mu Pa. During ascents and descents the narwhals perform scanning in the vertical plane with their sonar beam. This study provides valuable information for reference sonar parameters of narwhals and for the use of acoustic monitoring in the Arctic. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* Sea ice toothed whales Max Planck Society: MPG.PuRe Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland PLOS ONE 11 11 e0162069 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Max Planck Society: MPG.PuRe |
op_collection_id |
ftpubman |
language |
unknown |
description |
Recordings of narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation signals were made using a linear 16 hydrophone array in the pack ice of Baffin Bay, West Greenland in 2013 at eleven sites. An average-3 dB beam width of 5.0 degrees makes the narwhal click the most directional biosonar signal reported for any species to date. The beam shows a dorsal-ventral asymmetry with a narrower beam above the beam axis. This may be an evolutionary advantage for toothed whales to reduce echoes from the water surface or sea ice surface. Source level measurements show narwhal click intensities of up to 222 dB pp re 1 mu Pa, with a mean apparent source level of 215 dB pp re 1 mu Pa. During ascents and descents the narwhals perform scanning in the vertical plane with their sonar beam. This study provides valuable information for reference sonar parameters of narwhals and for the use of acoustic monitoring in the Arctic. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Koblitz, J. Stilz, P. Rasmussen, M. Laidre, K. |
spellingShingle |
Koblitz, J. Stilz, P. Rasmussen, M. Laidre, K. Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
author_facet |
Koblitz, J. Stilz, P. Rasmussen, M. Laidre, K. |
author_sort |
Koblitz, J. |
title |
Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
title_short |
Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
title_full |
Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
title_fullStr |
Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
title_full_unstemmed |
Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
title_sort |
highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0005-A4EA-A |
geographic |
Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* Sea ice toothed whales |
genre_facet |
Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* Sea ice toothed whales |
op_source |
PLoS One |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0162069 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0005-A4EA-A |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162069 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
e0162069 |
_version_ |
1775348609178402816 |