Low-frequency sound propagating through the ocean is partly attenuated by the pH-dependent boric acid relaxation process. Thus, the uptake of increased levels of atmospheric CO2 by seawater, leading to reduced pH, has potential to change ambient noise levels. An important question is: By how much? Here, changes in ambient noise level due to hypothetical changes in seawater pH have been calculated at three receiver locations for years 1960 and 2250. The calculations used a range dependent propagation model that was applied to realistic environments based on climatology. Model results indicate changes in noise levels less than 0.21 dB are anticipated.
Joseph J. E. & Chiu C.-S., 2010. A computational assessment of the sensitivity of ambient noise level to ocean acidification. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 128:EL144-EL149. Article.
A computational assessment of the sensitivity of ambient noise level to ocean acidification
Published 23 December 2010 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, sound
