Glacier Bay Sound Propagation Modeling

The Glacier Bay Sound Propagation Modeling project focuses on understanding how sound travels in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, to assess the impact of human-generated noise, particularly from vessels, on the natural soundscape and wildlife, including humpback whales. This project involves creating a tool—a graphical user interface (GUI)—that National Park Service managers can use to run simulations and evaluate the effects of different vessel restrictions. For example, managers can simulate changes in noise levels based on variations in vessel speed, such as restricting boats to 10 knots versus 12 knots, to understand whether such regulations could meaningfully reduce noise pollution.

This project has two main goals: conserving the pristine sound environment for visitors and protecting wildlife, particularly humpback whales and some priority bird species that are sensitive to noise. Glacier Bay is known for its unusually quiet soundscape with minimal human noise, making it a valuable setting for both visitors and wildlife. The modeling work aims to support decisions that balance the experience of visitors with the need to minimize disturbances to the environment.

This project ultimately aims to produce a framework that managers can use to assess the environmental impact of vessel noise on both marine and terrestrial ecosystems in Glacier Bay. Through better understanding sound propagation and its effects, the National Park Service hopes to preserve the park’s natural soundscape while supporting conservation efforts for key species.

Other collaborations between our group and the GLBA NPS team:

• A study of underwater sound levels in 2020 when vessel traffic was sharply reduced due to COVID-19 restrictions, which found significant decreases in sound levels during the tourist season, especially in the frequencies associated with large vessels like cruise ships. This quiet period provided a unique insight into the effects of vessel noise on marine mammals and the acoustic environment, emphasizing the benefits of noise reduction strategies for conservation.
• Using historical acoustic data to study killer whale presence and behavior, which involves acoustic identification to determine which killer whale populations are present (e.g., West Coast transients and southern Alaska residents), along with investigating their seasonal and daily activity patterns.