title: Sonar-induced pressure fields in a post-mortem common dolphin.
abstract: Potential physical effects of sonar transmissions on marine mammals were investigated by measuring pressure fields induced in a 119-kg, 211-cm-long, young adult male common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) cadaver. The specimen was instrumented with tourmaline acoustic pressure gauges used as receiving sensors. Gauge implantation near critical tissues was guided by intraoperative, high-resolution, computerized tomography (CT) scanning. Instrumented structures included the melon, nares, ear, thoracic wall, lungs, epaxial muscle, and lower abdomen. The specimen was suspended from a frame equipped with a standard 50.8-mm-diameter spherical transducer used as the acoustic source and additional receiving sensors to monitor the transmitted and external, scattered field. Following immersion, the transducer transmitted pulsed sinusoidal signals at 5, 7, and 10 kHz. Quantitative internal pressure fields are reported for all cases except those in which the gauge failed or no received signal was detected. A full necropsy was performed immediately after the experiment to examine instrumented areas and all major organs. No lesions attributable to acoustic transmissions were found, consistent with the low source level and source-receiver distances.
authors.affiliation: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA. kfoote@whoi.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Foote
authors.forename: Mardi C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.forename: Darlene R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ketten
authors.forename: Ying-Tsong
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Joy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Reidenberg
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rye
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D002138:Calibration; D050696:Common Dolphins / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D013016:Sound / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013018:Sound Spectrography