Imagine it’s the early 1900s and you’re a giant blue whale basking in the warm waters of the Santa Barbara Channel, just off the coast of Southern California. The once-quiet environment of the Santa Barbara Channel is now about 30 times louder than it once was, according to a study published recently in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. AdvertisementResearchers estimated noise levels in the Santa Barbara Channel using acoustic modeling. “Sound is everything to marine organisms,” ZoBell said — particularly because about 90% of the ocean is pitch black during the day, and 100% at night. “There’s no easy solution to separate ships and whales and national defense training,” Hastings said.

Source: Los Angeles Times May 05, 2024 21:54 UTC