Large-aperture 160-element coherent hydrophone array system upgrades and operational readiness testing for real-time continental-shelf scale ocean acoustic monitoring

Northeastern University, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

The PI requested funding to upgrade the Passive Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing (POAWRS) system developed previously with NSF funding. POAWRS is a transformative approach for ocean sensing, since it is capable of monitoring sound sources over instantaneous wide areas spanning 100 km or more in diameter. In addition to marine mammal vocalizations, the other sound sources detected by POAWRS include biology such as sounds from fish and crustaceans; geophysical processes such as hurricanes and submarine volcanoes; and man-made activities such as ships and other ocean vehicles, seismic earthquake plate tectonic studies and oil exploration, as well as offshore piling. The instantaneous continental-shelf scale environmental monitoring capability and temporal-spatial dynamics of sound sources revealed by POAWRS makes it an important technology that could become an indispensable tool in field operations, such as large-scale marine ecological studies, fisheries stock assessments and management, compliance-based marine mammal as well as in studies of the effects of man-made sound on marine ecosystems. The project provides an opportunity for training and development work to a diverse team that includes both women and under-represented minorities. The principal investigator has and will continue to host and provide opportunities for K-12 students, undergraduates and teachers to learn and contribute to ocean exploration and discovery through Northeastern University's STEM Education Center, Research Experience for Teachers (RET), Young Scholars Program (YSP) and various undergraduate research opportunity programs. They have and will continue to visit elementary, middle and high schools to provide demonstrations and hands-on training in ocean discovery and sensing through ocean sounds. This project would upgrade the passive ocean acoustic waveguide remote sensing (POAWRS) array based on issues found in previous sea tests. POAWRS consists of a 160-element coherent hydrophone array system. This technology was developed for long range directional sensing, including real-time detection, bearing estimation, localization, clustering/classification and geographic mapping of ocean sound producers. The ocean entities mapped by POAWRS include vocalizing marine mammals, such as cetaceans and pinnipeds from diverse species, various soniferous fish and crustacean species, shipping and other man-made activities, as well as oceanographic and geophysical processes, such as submarine volcanoes and hurricanes. The PI will conduct mechanical upgrade of the 160-element coherent hydrophone array hardware for robust deployment and enhance and optimize POAWRS array processing and analysis software for real-time application. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.