Acoustic effects of the ATOC signal (75 Hz, 195 dB) on dolphins and whales.

The Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) program of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, will broadcast a low-frequency 75-Hz phase modulated acoustic signal over ocean basins in order to study ocean temperatures on a global scale and examine the effects of global warming. One of the major concerns is the possible effect of the ATOC signal on marine life, especially on dolphins and whales. In order to address this issue, the hearing sensitivity of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) and a Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) to the ATOC sound was measured behaviorally. A staircase procedure with the signal levels being changed in 1-dB steps was used to measure the animals' threshold to the actual ATOC coded signal. The results indicate that small odontocetes such as the Pseudorca and Grampus swimming directly above the ATOC source will not hear the signal unless they dive to a depth of approximately 400 m. A sound propagation analysis suggests that the sound-pressure level at ranges greater than 0.5 km will be less than 130 dB for depths down to about 500 m. Several species of baleen whales produce sounds much greater than 170-180 dB. With the ATOC source on the axis of the deep sound channel (greater than 800 m), the ATOC signal will probably have minimal physical and physiological effects on cetaceans.

Echolocation signals and transmission beam pattern of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens).

The echolocation transmission beam pattern of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) was measured in the vertical and horizontal planes. A vertical array of seven broadband miniature hydrophones was used to measure the beam pattern in the vertical plane and a horizontal array of the same hydrophones was used in the horizontal plane. The measurements were performed in the open waters of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, while the whale performed a target discrimination task. Four types of signals, characterized by their frequency spectra, were measured. Type-1 signals had a single low-frequency peak at 40 +/- 9 kHz and a low-amplitude shoulder at high frequencies. Type-2 signals had a bimodal frequency characteristic with a primary peak at 46 +/- 7 kHz and a secondary peak at 88 +/- 13 kHz. Type-3 signals were also bimodal but with a primary peak at 100 +/- 7 kHz and a secondary peak at 49 +/- 9 kHz. Type-4 signals had a single high-frequency peak at 104 +/- 7 kHz. The center frequency of the signals were found to be linearly correlated to the peak-to-peak source level, increasing with increasing source level. The major axis of the vertical beam was directed slightly downward between 0 and -5 degrees, in contrast to the +5 to 10 degrees for Tursiops and Delphinapterus. The beam in the horizontal plane was directed forward between 0 degrees and -5 degrees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Target detection, shape discrimination, and signal characteristics of an echolocating false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens).

This study demonstrated the ability of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) to discriminate between two targets and investigated the parameters of the whale's emitted signals for changes related to test conditions. Target detection performance comparable to the bottlenose dolphin's (Tursiops truncatus) has previously been reported for echolocating false killer whales. No other echolocation capabilities have been reported. A false killer whale, naive to conditioned echolocation tasks, was initially trained to detect a cylinder in a "go/no-go" procedure over ranges of 3 to 8 m. The transition from a detection task to a discrimination task was readily achieved by introducing a spherical comparison target. Finally, the cylinder was successfully compared to spheres of two different sizes and target strengths. Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the parameters of emitted signals. Duncan's multiple range tests showed significant decreases (df = 185, p less than 0.05) in both source level and bandwidth in the transition from detection to discrimination. Analysis of variance revealed a significant decrease in the number of clicks over test conditions [F(5.26) = 5.23, p less than 0.0001]. These data suggest that the whale relied on cues relevant to target shape as well as target strength, that changes in source level and bandwidth were task-related, that the decrease in clicks was associated with learning experience, and that Pseudorca's ability to discriminate shapes using echolocation may be comparable to that of Tursiops truncatus.