Visualizing Cetacean Auditory Responses to Underwater Noise
Abstract
To estimate the impact of anthropogenic noise sources on marine mammals, we must develop the ability to predict both physiological and behavioral responses of cetaceans to diverse acoustic sources. Behavioral experimentation is constrained by both technical and ethical considerations, but the detailed simulation of auditory processing provides a necessary alternative. The objective of this task is to create three-dimensional interactive simulations of sound propagation and impacts from both impulse and continuous sound sources. The visualizations will be driven by anatomical and simulation data provided by the Woods Hole Institute (WHOI) and BU (Boston University). This effort will extend prior research by using new visualization tools to model both the auditory system and the salient aspects of the skull and jaw involved in focusing incoming sound. The frames for rendered movies will be generated using finite element models. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) team will assemble the frames and create a three-dimensional movie linked to predictive models for the behavior of the auditory system. The movie can be displayed using an interactive three-dimensional display as well as a desktop workstation. During the second year of research, NRL will attempt to prototype a web-based implementation of the volume rendering techniques developed in year 1.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA482224
Entities
People
- Gudrun Schmidt
- R. Hillson
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory