title: Underwater Sound Propagation Modeling Methods for Predicting Marine Animal Exposure.
abstract: The offshore exploration and production (E&P) industry requires comprehensive and accurate ocean acoustic models for determining the exposure of marine life to the high levels of sound used in seismic surveys and other E&P activities. This paper reviews the types of acoustic models most useful for predicting the propagation of undersea noise sources and describes current exposure models. The severe problems caused by model sensitivity to the uncertainty in the environment are highlighted to support the conclusion that it is vital that risk assessments include transmission loss estimates with statistical measures of confidence.
authors.affiliation: Maritime Way Scientific Ltd., 2110 Blue Willow Crescent, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1W 1K3. craig.hamm@maritimeway.ca.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hamm
authors.affiliation: Maritime Way Scientific Ltd., Black Rock, NS, Canada, B0P 1V0. diana.mcammon@maritimeway.ca.
authors.forename: Diana F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: McCammon
authors.affiliation: Maritime Way Scientific Ltd., 2110 Blue Willow Crescent, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1W 1K3. mtaillefer@maritimeway.ca.
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Taillefer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000502:physiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013016:Sound; D035501:Uncertainty; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Exposure; Modeling methods; Propagation; Sensitivity; Uncertainty