Noise

Sound generated during the construction or operation of a device.

During the construction of wind energy or marine renewable energy devices, substantial noise levels can be produced by vessel or vehicle traffic and installation activities (e.g., pile driving, cable burial). Operation of these devices may additionally produce low levels of noise from the rotation of turbine blades, movement of floating devices on the surface, or strumming of mooring lines and cables. Measures to reduce noise impacts in the marine environment include the use of bubble curtains during pile driving and careful siting and timing of construction activities to avoid species’ critical migration routes and times.

Sound propagates farther and faster in water than in air, which can result in greater consequences for the marine environment. Coupled with the many other sources of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment (e.g., ships, seismic studies), the noise from offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices may impact many marine species. Noise may interfere with marine organisms’ communication, navigation, detection of prey, and ability to interact with their environment, as well as causing attraction to or avoidance of devices. Additionally, some marine organisms may be physically harmed from excessive noise exposure (e.g., tissue and nerve damage).

For more information relevant to marine energy, check out the Underwater Noise Short Science Summary produced by OES Environmental.

For more information relevant to offshore wind energy, check out the Underwater Noise Effects on Marine Life research brief produced by SEER.

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 1270
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
A Review Of The Records Of Giant Squid In The North-Eastern Atlantic And Severe Injuries In Architeuthis Dux Stranded After Acoustic Explorations Guerra, A., González, A., Rocha, F. Conference Paper Noise Invertebrates
Fish and Marine Mammal Audiograms: A summary of available information Nedwell, J., Edwards, B., Turnpenny, A. Report Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Masked auditory thresholds in sciaenid fishes: A comparative study Ramcharitar, J., Popper, A. Journal Article Noise Fish, Human Dimensions
Whale-call response to masking boat noise Foote, A., Osborne, R., Hoelzel, R. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Bouw en exploitatie van een windmolenpark op de Thorntonbank in de Noordzee: Milieueffectenbeoordeling van het project ingediend door de n.v. C-Power. Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Chemicals, Collision, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) Ignore Ships but Respond to Alerting Stimuli Nowacek, D., Johnson, M., Tyack, P. Journal Article Attraction, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Marine Mammal Monitoring Plan: San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Seismic Safety Project Caltrans Report Noise Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals
Underwater Noise Emissions from Offshore Wind Turbines Betke, K., Schultz-von Glahn, M., Matuschek, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Behavioural Reactions of Free-Ranging Porpoises and Seals to the Noise of a Simulated 2 MW Windpower Generator Koschinski, S., Culik, B., Henriksen, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Anthropogenic Sound: Effects on the Behavior and Physiology of Fishes Popper, A., Fewtrell, J., Smith, M. Journal Article Noise Fish
Measurement of Underwater Noise During Piling at the Red Funnel Terminal, Southampton, and Observation of its Affect on Caged Fish Nedwell, J., Turnpenny, A., Langworthy, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
Auditory and Behavioral Responses of California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) to Single Underwater Impulses from an Arc-Gap Transducer Finneran, J., Dear, R., Carder, D. Journal Article Noise Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals
Utgrunden Offshore Wind Farm Measurements of Underwater Noise Ingemansson Technology Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Assessment of Sub-Sea Acoustic Noise and Vibration from Offshore Wind Turbines and its Impact on Marine Wildlife; Initial Measurements of Underwater Noise during Construction of Offshore Windfarms, and Comparison with Background Noise Nedwell, J., Langworthy, J., Howell, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Marine Wind Farms and Cetaceans Doleman, S., Simmonds, M., Keith, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Short-Term Effects of the Construction of Wind Turbines on Harbour Porpoises at Horns Reef Tougaard, J., Carstensen, J., Hendriksen, O. Report Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Offshore Wind Energy in Europe— A Review of the State-of-the-Art Henderson, A., Morgan, C., Smith, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC) Book Noise Marine Mammals
High Intensity Anthropogenic Sound Damages Fish Ears McCauley, R., Fewtrell, J., Popper, A. Journal Article Noise Fish
A Digital Acoustic Recording Tag for Measuring the Response of Wild Marine Mammals to Sound Johnson, M., Tyack, P. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Sound Detection Mechanisms and Capabilities of Teleost Fishes Popper, A., Fay, R., Platt, C. Book Chapter Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish
The Effect of Acoustic Harassment Devices on Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada Johnston, D. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Elsam. Offshore Wind Farm. Horns Rev. Annual status report for the environmental monitoring programme 1. January 2001 - 31. December 2001 Tech-Wise A/S Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Effect of the Sound Generated by an Acoustic Harassment Device on the Relative Abundance and Distribution of Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in Retreat Passage, British Columbia Olesiuk, P., Nichol, L., Sowden, M. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Footprints in the wind? Environmental impacts of wind power development Magoha, P. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions
Evaluation of Wind Turbine Noise DeGagne, D., Lewis, A., May, C. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Avian Hearing and the Avoidance of Wind Turbines Dooling, R. Report Wind Energy Noise, Avoidance Birds
Underwater Noise of Whale Watching Boats and Potential Effects on Killer Whales (Orcinus orca), Based on an Acoustic Impact Model Erbe, C. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Temporary Shift in Masked Hearing Thresholds in Odontocetes After Exposure to Single Underwater Impulses from a Seismic Watergun Finneran, J., Schlundt, C., Dear, R. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Low-frequency acoustic pressure, velocity, and intensity thresholds in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and white whale (Delphinapterus leucas) Finneran, J., Carder, D., Ridgway, S. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Acoustic and Electromagnetic Noise Induced by Wind Mills - Implications for Underwater Surveillance Systems Pilot Study Fristedt, T., Morén, P., Söderberg, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, EMF
Effects of underwater noise on auditory sensitivity of a cyprinid fish Scholik, A., Yan, H. Journal Article Noise Fish
Assessment Of The Effects Of Noise And Vibration From Offshore Wind Farms On Marine Wildlife Vella, G., Rushforth, I., Mason, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Detection of Infrasound in Fish and Behavioral Responses to Intense Infrasound in Juvenile Salmonids and European Silver Eels: A Minireview Sand, O., Enger, P., Karlsen, H. Conference Paper Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
Noise Measurements and Analysis: Offshore Pile-Driving Underwater and Above-Water Ødegaard and Danneskiold-Samsøe Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Masking in Three Pinnipeds: Underwater, Low-Frequency Critical Ratios Southall, B., Schusterman, R., Kastak, D. Journal Article Noise Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals
Effects of Marine Windfarms on the Distribution of Fish, Shellfish and Marine Mammals in the Horns Rev Area Hoffmann, E., Astrup, J., Larsen, F. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Habitat Change, EMF, Avoidance, Attraction Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals, Invertebrates, Fish
Underwater Noise Measurements, Analysis, and Predictions Degn, U. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Development of an air bubble curtain to reduce underwater noise of percussive piling Würsig, B., Greene, C., Jefferson, T. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Effects of Wind Turbines on Upland Nesting Birds in Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Leddy, K., Higgins, K., Naugle, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Passerines
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