Acoustics of the Arctic

I am interested in what is changing in underwater Arctic soundscapes as the planet warms and sea ice melts. What are the impacts of underwater radiated noise (URN) on Arctic marine mammals? Only 11 endemic Arctic marine mammals exist, and they are dependent on sound as their principal sense. They must rely on sound to survive and thrive in deep darkness below the sea ice. Melting sea ice means more ships traversing the Arctic; more ships means more URN.

LISTEN TO THE MELTING ARCTIC 

The natural sounds that exist in their acoustic habitat such as iceberg calving due to glacial earthquakes and sea ice cracking are quite loud but are likely familiar to these marine mammals. The recording titled, "Beneath the Ice Floes," is filled with natural sounds below pressure ridges at 79°41.36' N.

After listening to those incredible sounds, listen to "Beneath the North Pole Ice." At first, you'll feel as if you're trapped in a blow-dryer (that's the URN from the nearby icebreaker ... can you imagine living in that?). But then, you'll hear all that's alive below 2 meters of sea ice at the North Pole. 

*If you listen closely, you will hear the sweeps and trills of bearded seals, walrus knocks, ringed, and hooded seals, and the voices of other Arctic creatures (these sounds are known as biophony or biological signals—sounds produced by living organisms).