Investigation of the Potential Effects of Underwater Noise from Petroleum Industry Activities on Feeding Humpback Whale Behavior

摘要

An investigation was made of the potential effects of underwater noise from petroleum industry activities on the behavior of feeding humpback whales in Frederick Sound and Stephens Passage, Alaska in August, 1984. Test sounds were a 100 cu. in. air gun and playbacks of recorded drillship, drilling platform, production platform, semi-submersible drill rig, and helicopter fly-over noise. Sound source levels and acoustic propagation losses were measured. The movement patterns of whales were determined by observations of whale surfacing positions.