Blue whale vocalization locations

Some of the most readily detected signals on the U.S. Navy's SOund SUrveillance System (SOSUS) in the North Pacific are those produced by the blue whale. This distinctive call allows the use of mathematical matched filters to detect the signal within the ocean's ambient noise and allow localization of calls to within a few kilometers from areas that are hundreds of kilometers away. This image includes locations of blue whale vocalizations for selected days in September, 1994, based on SOSUS acoustic detections. Different colors denote detections on different days. Image courtesy of Sounds in the Sea 2001, NOAA/OER.

Related Links

Sounds in the Sea 2001

Sound in the Sea: Understanding Ocean Acoustics

Sound in the Sea Gallery