Ocean noise pollution

Ocean noise pollution is human-generated underwater sound that disrupts marine animals’ communication, movement, or other behavior. It includes persistent background noise and intense, short-duration sounds.

Underwater acoustics: The study of how sound is generated, transmitted, and received underwater. Seawater carries sound differently from air, shaping how human noise reaches animals.
Commercial shipping: The transport of goods by merchant vessels across waterways and oceans. Propeller cavitation and machinery make ships a widespread source of persistent low-frequency noise.
Marine mammal communication: The exchange of information among marine mammals through vocalizations and other signals. Noise can interfere with calls used for social contact, coordination, and reproduction.
Ambient ocean sound: The background soundscape of the ocean, produced by natural and human sources. Noise pollution is distinguished from the ordinary soundscape by its human origin and harmful effects.
Acoustic masking: The obscuring of one sound by another that overlaps in frequency and time. Ship noise can mask calls animals use to communicate or detect their surroundings.
Seismic airgun: A device that releases compressed air underwater to generate sound pulses for geological imaging. Repeated airgun pulses used in exploration can expose marine life to intense sound.
Whale stranding: An event in which one or more whales become stranded on shore or in shallow water. Some strandings have been associated with intense sonar exposure, though causes vary.
Ocean acidification: The decline in ocean pH caused mainly by seawater absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Unlike noise pollution, acidification changes seawater chemistry rather than adding sound.
Sound exposure level: A measure of sound energy accumulated over a specified exposure period. Cumulative exposure helps explain why prolonged noise can matter even without a single loud event.
Pile driving: A construction method that drives piles into the seabed using repeated impacts or vibration. Offshore construction can produce loud, impulsive underwater noise.

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