S059-05
Ocean Bottom Seismometers for Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Baleen Whales

Tuesday, 15 December 2020: 19:18
Virtual
Léa Bouffaut, Norwegian University of Science an Technology, Trondheim, Norway, Richard Dréo, Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation, La Spezia, Italy, Abdel Boudraa, Ecole Navale IRENav, Brest, France, Martin Landro, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway and Guilhem Barruol, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, CNRS (UMR 7154), 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris Cedex 05, France, Paris, France
Recorded Presentation
Abstract:
Over the last decade, the opportunistic use of broadband Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) recordings has been extremely beneficial for baleen whales studies as they regularly record their stereotyped calls ([10-40] Hz). Often deployed in remote areas, OBSs offer additional and often unprecedented locations for acoustic data collection. The long-term, widespread networks are then ideal for passive acoustic monitoring. Therefore OBS-recorded data are crucial to conservation purposes from monitoring their post-exploitation recovery to improving our understanding of these endangered species and threats.

As an example of the potential of OBSs for baleen whale studies, this work exploits data collected by the RHUM-RUM (Réunion Hotspot and Upper Mantle - Réunions Unterer Mantel) seismic network. It aimed initially at imaging the mantle structure beneath the Western Indian Ocean and the dynamics of La Réunion volcanic hotspot. To that extent, 57 OBSs were deployed on the ocean floor, covering an area of 2000x2000 km2 (Lat. 16-34°S, Long. 048-070°E), from October 2012 to November 2013. The RHUM-RUM data provides the second opportunity to record species-specific or regionally-distinct signals of Blue Whales (BWs; Antarctic and Madagascar Pygmy BW) within the Western Indian Ocean Sanctuary.

BW calls can propagate from tens to hundreds of kilometers. Consequently, results show that recordings from a single OBS are sufficient to determine the acoustic presence of a species and estimate the range of a calling individual. However, the data analysis benefits from the use of automatic and reliable detection processes. Additional information arises from increasing the number of sensors: a small array of the RHUM-RUM network (20km inter-sensor distance) is used for localization and tracking, essential for animal counting. Besides, the broader configuration showed repartition and migration patterns of the studied species. These recordings from the bottom of the ocean shed new light on the study of BWs and, more generally, low-frequency sounds in this area.

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