38 Ambient Sounds Levels in the NE
Description: Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) simultaneously captures the biological, anthropogenic, climatological, and geological sounds occurring in an area. PAM provides continuous sampling effort in areas that are otherwise difficult to access, resulting in long-term, robust datasets. Ambient sound (soundscape) metrics show the distribution of acoustic energy across frequencies. Peaks in sound levels within particular frequency bins indicate louder sounds at those frequencies, with frequencies below 1000 Hz typically representing contributions from baleen whales, vessel traffic, and soniferous fishes. Therefore, soundscapes can be used as an indicator of ecosystem health and to identify changes to sound sources, which could be indicative of changes in phenology, species distributions, storm activity, and human activity.
Indicator family:
Contributor(s): Renea Briner, Amanda Holdman, Genevieve Davis, Rhett Finley, Sophie Ferguson, Leila Hatch, Samara Haver, Jessica McCordic, Xavier Mouy, Anita Murray, Maricarmen Serna, Anne Smith, Erin Summers, Lindsey Transue, Christopher Tremblay, Annabel Westell, Rebecca Vanhoeck, Sofie Van Parijs, Isabella Garfield, Joel Bell, Amy Engelhaupt
Affiliations: NEFSC
38.1 Introduction to Indicator
The first indicator examined hybrid millidecade sound pressure levels in the Gulf of Maine. The indicator stems from data collected across four and a half years (2020-2024) and nine recording sites. The metrics allow for an improved understanding of the dominant sound sources and whether these sound sources exhibited spatial or seasonal patterns in their activity within the region. A full description is in preparation for publication.
The second indicator examined hybrid millidecade sound pressure levels in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. The indicator stems from data collected across two years (2022-2024) and nine recording sites. The metrics allow for an improved understanding of the dominant sound sources and whether these sound sources exhibited spatial or seasonal patterns in their activity within the region. A full description is in preparation for publication.
38.2 Key Results and Visualizations
38.3 Indicator statistics
Spatial scale: Hybrid millidecade metrics are provided for nine sites throughout the Gulf of Maine. Sites broadly cluster into three subregions: coastal Gulf of Maine (Lubec, MDR, Monhegan, Portland, and York), Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SB03), and the edge of George’s Bank in the offshore Gulf of Maine (USTR01, USTR03, and USTR11). Hybrid millidecade metrics are provided for nine sites throughout the Mid-Atlantic Bight. The southernmost recorders were located off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and the northernmost recorders were located off the mouth of the Delaware Bay. Recorders were arranged in transects spanning the continental shelf, with inshore sites ending in “01” and offshore sites in “03”.
Temporal scale: In the Gulf of Maine, acoustic data were summarized from a four-and-a-half-year continuous sampling period spanning January 2020 to July 2024. In the Mid-Atlantic Bight, acoustic data were summarized from a two-year continuous sampling period spanning June 2022 to November 2024.
Synthesis Theme:
38.4 Implications
Gulf of Maine
Ambient sound metrics show that the Gulf of Maine is a dynamic region with dominant sound sources varying spatially and temporally. At coastal sites, like Lubec, tidal flow noise strongly influences the year-round soundscape, demonstrated by repetitive patterns of increased sound below 40 Hz that coincide with the semidiurnal tidal cycle. At sites within Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the offshore Gulf of Maine, fin whale vocalizations seasonally contribute to the soundscape, demonstrated by peaks around 20 Hz throughout the fall and into the spring (September-March).
Mid-Atlantic Bight
Ambient sound metrics show that the Mid-Atlantic Bight is an important habitat for numerous soniferous fish populations, as the dominant sound source in the region is fish choruses. The contributions of fish choruses varied spatially and temporally, with the highest chorus sound levels recorded at the three inshore sites (i.e. DB01, ES01, and CB01) throughout the summer and into fall, with at least three choruses observed. Each chorus peaked in distinct octave level (OL) bands, occupying the 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz OLs most significantly.
38.5 Get the data
Point of contact: Renea Briner (renea.briner@noaa.gov); Sofie Van Parijs (sofie.vanparijs@noaa.gov)
ecodata name: ecodata::wea_sound
Variable definitions
Ex: 1) Name: piscivore_biomass; Definition: Biomass of piscivores; Units: kg tow^-1. 2) Name: forage_biomass; Definition: Biomass of forage fish; Units: kg tow^-1.
Indicator Category:
38.7 Accessibility and Constraints
No response
tech-doc link https://noaa-edab.github.io/tech-doc/wea_sound.html