A digital acoustic recording tag for measuring the response of wild marine mammals to sound. Johnson, M. P. & Tyack, P. L. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 28:3–12, 2003.
abstract   bibtex   
Definitive studies on the response of marine mammals to anthropogenic sound are hampered by the short surface time and deep-diving lifestyle of many species. A novel archival tag, called the DTAG, has been developed to monitor the behavior of marine mammals, and their response to sound, continuously throughout the dive cycle. The tag contains a large array of solid-state memory and records continuously from a built-in hydrophone and suite of sensors. The sensors sample the orientation of the animal in three dimensions with sufficient speed and resolution to capture individual fluke strokes. Audio and sensor recording is synchronous so the relative timing of sounds and motion can be determined precisely. The DTAG has been attached to more than 30 northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 20 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) with recording duration of up to 12 h per deployment. Several deployments have included sound playbacks to the tagged whale and a transient response to at least one playback is evident in the tag data.
@Article{Johnson2003,
  author       = {Mark P. Johnson and Peter L. Tyack},
  title        = {A digital acoustic recording tag for measuring the response of wild marine mammals to sound},
  journal      = {IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering},
  year         = {2003},
  volume       = {28},
  pages        = {3--12},
  abstract     = {Definitive studies on the response of marine mammals to anthropogenic
	sound are hampered by the short surface time and deep-diving lifestyle
	of many species. A novel archival tag, called the DTAG, has been
	developed to monitor the behavior of marine mammals, and their response
	to sound, continuously throughout the dive cycle. The tag contains
	a large array of solid-state memory and records continuously from
	a built-in hydrophone and suite of sensors. The sensors sample the
	orientation of the animal in three dimensions with sufficient speed
	and resolution to capture individual fluke strokes. Audio and sensor
	recording is synchronous so the relative timing of sounds and motion
	can be determined precisely. The DTAG has been attached to more than
	30 northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 20 sperm whales
	(Physeter macrocephalus) with recording duration of up to 12 h per
	deployment. Several deployments have included sound playbacks to
	the tagged whale and a transient response to at least one playback
	is evident in the tag data.},
  comment      = {This tag uses FLASH memory in place of moving magnetic tape or disks
	to record data and so can be encapsulated in plastic. A low-power
	digital signal processor combines audio acquired from a hydrophone,
	with sensor measurements, and streams the data to the nonvolatile
	memory array. The sensor suite comprises acceleration, magnetic field,
	and pressure sensors and is tailored to measuring orientation at
	sampling rates of up to 50 Hz, much higher than traditional time–depth
	recorders.
	
	
	The DTAG has been designed specifically for studies on how wild marine
	mammals respond to sound. The noninvasive tag provides short-term
	but highly detailed information about the acoustic environment and
	behavior of the host animal. By combining accelerometer and magnetometer
	signals, the orientation of the animal can be determined accurately
	and with sufficient resolution to capture individual fluke-strokes
	and subtle movements. Results from tagging two large whale species
	demonstrate the broad range of inferences that can be made from the
	tag data and suggest that it can detect most movements and vocal
	behaviors of a whale continuously throughout the dive cycle. In addition
	to establishing behavioral responses to natural and anthropogenic
	sounds, it may be possible to use tag data to estimate the energetic
	cost of such responses. This information is sorely needed in setting
	suitable exposure levels for sound from commercial, defense and research
	activities and in establishing effective mitigation protocols.},
  file         = {Johnson&Tyack2003.pdf:Johnson&Tyack2003.pdf:PDF},
  groups       = {Acoustics Today},
  keywords     = {Effects of noise, marine animals, tags, underwater, acoustic measurements},
  numero       = {147},
  owner        = {Tiago},
  paperprinted = {yes},
  subdatabase  = {postdoc},
  timestamp    = {2007.09.13},
}

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