A groundbreaking sensor system has been developed to monitor a wide range of underwater activities in the Lower St. Lawrence, including detecting underwater earthquakes, whale songs, ship noise, and tidal behavior. Led by McGill University, a collaborative study involving scientists from various institutions has successfully deployed this innovative monitoring network.
The system enables simultaneous tracking of seismic events, marine behavior, human activities, and whale communications using just one device. Professor Yajing Liu, the lead author of the study from McGill’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, highlighted the significance of being able to capture such diverse signals over an extended period by deploying equipment at the river bottom.
The monitoring setup, which included seafloor seismometers and coastal stations, outperformed the national seismic monitoring system by detecting a higher number of earthquakes and capturing additional data on whale songs, ship disturbances, tidal patterns, and mining activities. The study emphasized the potential impact of shipping noise on whale habitats and the importance of understanding how it affects marine life.
By analyzing the collected data using spectral analysis, researchers were able to identify and separate different signals based on their frequencies. The study also revealed the simultaneous occurrence of whale songs and maritime traffic, shedding light on potential disruptions in whale communication caused by ship noise.
The deployment of seabed seismometers provided crucial data for improving ocean circulation models and enhancing our understanding of whale behavior in the estuary. The study’s comprehensive findings, including the compilation of whale songs and maritime noise data, have the potential to contribute to environmental protection efforts and the regulation of maritime activities in the region.
Keyphrase: underwater monitoring system
