Repellence Effect of the New Sound for Underwater Speaker of Hydrofoil

Abstract

In order to prevent hydrofoil colliding with cetaceans, the underwater speaker (UWS) has been installed to repel cetaceans. Yamada et al. (2012) analyzed and devised the UWS sound as it fits the cetaceans' acoustic properties to prevent the collision furthermore. The new UWS sound was devised and synthesized by Yamada et al. (2015) with expectation of avoiding collision with large cetaceans (Patent applied for, JP2014-171411). In this research project, the new UWS sound was investigated by the playback experiment on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and by sighting survey in the actual hydrofoil shipping service route. As a result, a physiological and behavioral change of the humpback whale was observed in the playback experiment of the new UWS sound, and the chance of hydrofoil encountering cetaceans of the new UWS sound was smaller than that of the previous UWS sound. Therefore, the improvement of the new UWS sound was confirmed. Lastly, we wish this research project would contribute toward the safer cruise of hydrofoil in the future.

Keywords

• Underwater Speaker (UWS)
• Hydrofoil
• Underwater Speaker Sound
• Humpback Whale
• New Sound
• Cetaceans
• Acoustics
• Hydroacoustics