Estimating source levels and depth distributions of calling bowhead whales using geoacoustic inversion

摘要: Every year during open-water season in 2008–2014, up to 40 passive acoustic recorders (DASARs) were deployed the Beaufort Sea. Over eight-year period, more than 3.1 million bowhead calls localized. A vertical array was also near DASARs some years, enabling matched-field geoacoustic inversion of whale estimate local propagation environment. In turn, these environments used source level and calling depth distributions nearly 50,000 between 2008 2014. The resulting exhibited a stable mode 160 dB re 1 uPa @ m (rms), which proved robust investigated, call analysis method (manual or automated), type model (a simple empirically-derived “power-law” transmission loss detailed waveguide model). Depth whales sensitive environmental but always showed at ~25 m...