WP 4 Noise
The WP4 of SHEBA deals with underwater noise of Baltic Sea shipping. It is generally recognized that underwater noise can block communication, cause behavioural changes and physical injury to marine life. Underwater noise is a combination of signals from natural (wind, waves, ice, volcanic activity) and manmade sources (ships, boats, seismic exploration, underwater construction). We will concentrate on the noise generated by commercial shipping and chart its contribution to underwater sound.
WP4 will use noise source and propagation modelling to determine Baltic Sea areas where underwater noise levels from shipping are high and may become a problem for marine life. Experimental measurements of shipping noise impact on fish will be investigated in controlled environment. This will allow observations of behavioural changes as a function of noise frequency and intensity. Shipping noise mitigation scenarios will be tested to gain knowledge on possible measures to reduce underwater noise.