2023_programme: Ambient noise levels in the changing Arctic Ocean: low-frequency measurements from the Fram Strait

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  • Session: 21. Underwater Noise - Modelling and Measurements
    Organiser(s): Alexander Gavrilov
  • Lecture: Ambient noise levels in the changing Arctic Ocean: low-frequency measurements from the Fram Strait
    Paper ID: 1923
    Author(s): Giorli Giacomo, Russo Aniello, Tollefsen Dag
    Presenter: Giorli Giacomo
    Abstract: In recent years, the Arctic Ocean is undergoing a radical environmental transformation due to Climate Change. The observed environmental evolution seems to drive the Arctic Ocean towards an “Atlantification” of its oceanography. It also implies a significant sea ice retreat and reduction of ice longevity. All these environmental factors affect the underwater soundscape in the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, the anthropogenic noise is expected to increase in the Arctic due to new routes for shipping resulting from nearly ice-free seas. In order to study the long term evolution of Arctic oceanographic conditions and ambient noise, two moorings (CIO I and CIO II) were deployed, one in the vicinity of the Molloy Deep (1.85° E 78.93° N), and one in the Svalbard continental slope (9.00° E 77.70° N). The moorings were first deployed during the NATO CMRE NREP21 sea trial in July 2021, both retrieved, with one of them (CIO I) being redeployed again during the NRE22 sea trial in June 2022. CIO I and II were equipped with multiple independent Loggerhead single-hydrophone passive acoustic recorders, all set to record on the same duty cycle. The recorders acquired data at a sampling frequency of 96 kHz for 120 seconds, then switched to sleep mode for 780 seconds. Ambient noise levels measured using Power Spectral Densities (PSD) along the water column were compared with sea ice cover data obtained from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). Seasonality and variation in the overall soundscapes were also evident by the presence of sounds from biological sources.
  • Corresponding author: Dr Giacomo Giorli
    Affiliation: NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation
    Country: Italy
    e-mail:

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