Sounds from the SW06 Experiment

The affectionately-called 'Shark of Science' is a multiple hydrophone array with 16 hydrophones spanning the water column in the vertical and 32 phones laying along the ocean bottom (80 meters deep) in the horizontal. During an experiment 100 miles off the coast of New Jersey, it recorded a number of interesting sounds. A few samples are availible below.

Sei Whale

During the experiment, the "Shark of Science" picked up these sei whale vocalizations. We know they were sei whales since the sounds we picked are within the 40-100Hz frequency band, modulate from the highest frequency to the lowest, and typically come in pairs (see spectrogram below). We can use this data to track the whales. The image below gives you an idea of the size of a Sei whale. For more sei whale information, check out Wikipedia. Also, see how gliders monitor marine mammals here at WHOI.

Below is a spectrogram made from one of our recordings which shows 2 seiwhale vocalizations
modulating from ~100Hz to ~40Hz. Click on the image to get a better look.

Play Sei Whale sound (Because the frequencies are so low, you may need a subwoofer to hear it!!)

Dolphins

Our system also often picked up bottlenose dolphin clicks and whistles.
(Photo by Andrey Scherbina, WHOI))

Play Dolphin vocalizations

Unexpected sounds

During the experiment, we often picked up sounds from unexpected sources - like a boat passing by or a thunderstorm.

This one is a pleasure/fishing boat zooming by. (ALERT - LOUD!!)
Play speedboat

The thunderstorm captured here had to be directly overhead to be heard at the ocean bottom.
Play thunder

Last updated: July 20, 2011