Abstract [eng] |
A variety of human activities introduce noise energy into the marine environment, including commercial shipping, seismic surveys associated with oil and gas exploration as well academic research, naval operations, fishing activities, aquatic recreation, and coastal development. The Baltic Sea area belonging to Republic of Lithuania is no exclusion, where the dominant noise sources are the merchant shipping and harbor developments. Underwater noise emitted by these man-made activities can have the negative effects on marine environment, i.e. harm aquatic animals. This research aims at describing the soundscape in shallow marine waters of Lithuania considering both continuous and impulsive noise, risks to salmon and twaite shad caused by it, and its prevention measures. To attain the goals of this research the continuous noise model capable to model spatial and temporal noise distribution in shallow marine environments was developed. The experimental modeling of seasonal continuous noise levels was completed at Lithuanian area of the Baltic Sea as well, piling impulsive noise spectral characteristics were measured and modeled at the Klaipėda harbor area. |