Large scale density estimation of blue and fin whales
Abstract
The proposed work will develop and implement a density estimation methodology for quantifying blue and fin whale abundance from passive acoustic data recorded on sparse hydrophone arrays in the equatorial Pacific Ocean at Wake Island. It builds on previous work with sparse arrays. Density estimation methods developed in the Pacific Ocean at Wake Island will then be applied to the same species in the Indian Ocean at the CTBTO location at Diego Garcia.The objectives are: develop and implement methods for estimating detection probability of vocalizations based on bearing and source level data from sparse array elements; validate using OBS data, where additional independent information on detectability is available; use all available and relevant data to develop multipliers for converting calls-per-unit-area to blue and fin whale density (i.e. estimates of average call rate); estimate the regional density and spatial distribution of blue and fin whales in the equatorial Pacific Ocean using CTBTO data from Wake Island; and estimate regional density and spatial distribution of blue and fin whales in the Indian Ocean using CTBTO data from Diego Garcia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612860
Entities
People
- Jennifer Miksis-Olds
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University System of New Hampshire