AFSC/MML: Acoustics short-term passive monitoring using sonobuoys in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering, Chukchi, and Western Beaufort Seas, Summer 2007-2018

The Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML) has conducted passive acoustic monitoring in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering, Chukchi, and Western Beaufort Seas to determine spatio-temporal distribution of marine mammals as well as environmental and anthropogenic noise. Species and sounds detected on sonobuoys include fin, blue, bowhead, humpback, killer, gray, minke, sperm, beluga, sei, and North Pacific right whales, walrus, ribbon and bearded seals, fish, and seismic airguns. This short-term passive acoustic monitoring was also used to locate vocalizing species of interest for photo-identification, tagging, and behavioral studies. Recordings are available since 2007 in the Bering Sea, since 2010 in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, and in 2013 and 2015 in the Gulf of Alaska. Both omnidirectional and DiFAR sonobuoys have been used. In one year (2009), sonobuoys were deployed opportunistically from an aerial survey plane. All sonobuoys were provided by the United States Navy (Naval Operational Logistics Support Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy).