The Science of Acoustic Research

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The Science of Acoustic Research
Navy News | February 12, 2008

PEARL HARBOR - The Navy's Scientific Operational Naval Acoustic Research Conference was held February 6-7 to provide an opportunity for the Navy's scientists, fleet operators, and environmental specialists to share information regarding recent advances in science, mission requirements, and communication needs.

About 100 people attended the two-day conference, which was chaired by OPNAV N45, the Navy's environmental readiness command, and hosted by Adm. Robert F. Willard, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The conference ended with agreement to hold future gatherings to discuss issues ranging from the direction of future research to procedural improvements.

While great progress has been made in recent years, many of the speakers noted that much remains to be learned about how sound behaves underwater and how it affects marine mammals. "We know more about outer space than we do about inner space," said one speaker.

For example, Dr. Jim Finneran of the Navy Marine Mammal Program said hearing thresholds have been determined for 25 species of marine mammals through painstaking research. Hearing thresholds for the more than 100 other marine mammal species, including all of the large, baleen whales, have not yet been determined.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,161983,00.html