2025_programme: Climate-driven variability of underwater noise propagation in Hornsund fjord, Svalbard
- Day: June 20, Friday
Location / Time: D. CHLOE at 09:30 - 09:50
- Last minutes changes: -
- Session: 02. Acoustics in polar environments
Organiser(s): Espen Storheim, Lora van Uffelen, Oskar Glowacki
Chairperson(s): Lora Van Uffelen
- Lecture: Climate-driven variability of underwater noise propagation in Hornsund fjord, Svalbard
Paper ID: 2236
Author(s): Pavani Vithana Madugeta Vidanamesthrige, Natalia Gorska, Oskar Glowacki
Presenter: Pavani Vithana Madugeta Vidanamesthrige
Abstract: Arctic fjords are particularly sensitive to climate warming due to the accelerated melt of glaciers and sea ice. The resulting meltwater delivery impacts the spatial and temporal variability of sound speed conditions. Changes in sound speed profiles modify underwater noise propagation – a key factor determining noise pollution. Moreover, the sea ice loss causes an increase in shipping traffic, which is a main source of anthropogenic noise. Here, we investigate the long-term variability of noise propagation conditions in Hornsund fjord, Svalbard. The archival CTD data collected from 2001 to 2019 along the fjord axis have been used for sound speed calculation. We used the Bellhop model to predict noise propagation in different years. The results show that the long-term variability of noise propagation in Hornsund is driven primarily by the intensity of glacier melting and shelf-fjord water exchange. Different underwater acoustic channels are identified. We also analyze and discuss the variable transmission loss of the shipping noise and its potential impact on marine mammals. As ocean warming continues, we suggest that the climate-driven changes in the propagation of anthropogenic noise will impact the noise pollution in Hornsund.
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- Corresponding author: Ms Pavani Vithana Madugeta Vidanamesthrige
Affiliation: Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences
Country: Poland
