Underwater Radiated Noise Levels of a Research Icebreaker in the Central Arctic Ocean
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University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping 4-2013 Underwater radiated noise levels of a research icebreaker in the central Arctic Ocean Ethan H. Roth University of California - San Diego Val E. Schmidt University of New Hampshire, Durham, [email protected] John A. Hildebrand University of New Hampshire, Durham Sean M. Wiggins University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom Part of the Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Recommended Citation E. H. Roth, V. Schmidt, J. A. Hildebrand, and S. M. Wiggins, ‘Underwater radiated noise levels of a research icebreaker in the central arctic ocean’, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 133, no. 4, p. 1971, 2013. This Journal Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Underwater radiated noise levels of a research icebreaker in the central Arctic Ocean Ethan H Rotha) Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0205 Val Schmidt Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824 John A. Hildebrand and Sean M. Wiggins Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0205 (Received 10 January 2012; revised 21 December 2012; accepted 22 January 2013) U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy’s underwater radiated noise signature was characterized in the cen- tral Arctic Ocean during different types of ice-breaking operations. Propulsion modes included transit in variable ice cover, breaking heavy ice with backing-and-ramming maneuvers, and dynamic positioning with the bow thruster in operation. Compared to open-water transit, Healy’s noise signa- ture increased approximately 10 dB between 20 Hz and 2 kHz when breaking ice. The highest noise levels resulted while the ship was engaged in backing-and-ramming maneuvers, owing to cavitation when operating the propellers astern or in opposing directions. In frequency bands centered near 10, 50, and 100 Hz, source levels reached 190–200 dB re: 1 lPa at 1 m (full octave band) during ice- breaking operations. VC 2013 Acoustical Society of America. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4790356] PACS number(s): 43.30.Nb, 43.50.Lj, 43.60.Cg [MS] Pages: 1971–1980 I. INTRODUCTION significantly lengthen the shipping season (Arctic Council, 2009). The potential for an expanding presence of ice- A. Background breakers in the Arctic motivates characterization of their Icebreakers are designed to operate in ice-covered waters noise signatures to better understand their future contribution with a strengthened hull, an ice-clearing shape, and the pro- to Arctic underwater noise. pulsion power to push through consolidated ice. Convention- Compared to other vessels, icebreakers generate higher ally powered (i.e., non-nuclear) icebreakers have operated and more variable noise levels from propeller cavitation due successfully on trans-Arctic voyages in summer as well as on to the episodic nature of breaking ice, which often involves scientific expeditions to high-latitudes in almost all regions of maneuvers such as backing-and-ramming into the ice. Some the Arctic Ocean. Although icebreakers represent a relatively icebreakers are equipped with bubbler systems that blow high- small proportion of the total vessel traffic in the Arctic (50 pressure air into the water to push floating ice away from the active icebreakers in the world fleet), they are invaluable for ship, creating an additional noise source over short ranges. surveying, oceanographic research, vessel escort in ice, sal- Sound propagation under sea ice is an area of acoustics vage, pollution response, and search and rescue. research that is complex due to scattering effects from ice, The thinning Arctic ice pack and advances in ship design absorption of acoustic energy at the ice-water interface, and are allowing for longer seasons of navigation for both ice- the possibility that shear waves transmitted through ice might breakers and other polar-class vessels (Jensen, 2007). Like- re-radiate into the water column (Etter, 2003). Under ice wise, an increasing number of research icebreakers are transmission loss is largely unaffected by ice coverage at conducting geological and geophysical studies throughout the ranges where direct path propagation is possible. Conversely, Arctic Ocean related to establishing the limits of an Extended transmission loss is greatly affected at distances in which the Continental Shelf under the U.N. Convention on the Law of only propagation path requires at least one water-ice reflection the Sea (Arctic Council, 2009). Icebreaker activity will also (Milne and Ganton, 1964). Incorporating sea ice conditions, increase as mineral and petroleum resources are developed in water depth, and sound speed profile may help to model long- the offshore region (Jensen, 2007). Seasonal shipping traffic range sound propagation in the Arctic Ocean and therefore is expected to keep increasing in the near future due to indus- predict the ranges at which icebreaker noise may be detected. trial development as well as political and scientific interests We present results from in situ shipboard experiments in the Arctic region, and the use of polar icebreakers could designed to measure underwater sound pressure levels radi- ated by an icebreaker operating in the Arctic Ocean. While past studies have measured icebreaker noise from stationary a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: locations near shore or on the ice, real-time acoustic moni- [email protected] toring of an icebreaker has not previously been reported for J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 133 (4), April 2013 0001-4966/2013/133(4)/1971/10/$30.00 VC 2013 Acoustical Society of America 1971 Redistribution subject to ASA license or copyright; see http://acousticalsociety.org/content/terms. Download to IP: 132.177.229.80 On: Tue, 24 Nov 2015 16:16:36 the offshore ice-covered waters of the central Arctic Ocean. (1.5 m/s) continuous, while actual (best) performance is Received sound pressure levels were recorded at various dis- 1.7 m (5.5 ft) at 2.6 kn (1.3 m/s) continuous. Healy has pro- tances in typical ice-breaking conditions. Source level esti- ven capable of breaking ice up to 2.4 m (8 ft) thick while mates are reported while making comparisons with various backing and ramming. For the purposes of this study, we ship operation parameters such as propeller shaft rotations will consider substantial coverage of ice that is 1.2 m (4 ft) and speed-over-ground. thick or greater to present heavy ice breaking conditions. In general, however, the Healy is considered a medium polar icebreaker (O’Rourke, 2012). B. Characteristics of the icebreaker Healy In summer 2008, a research expedition (HLY-0805) U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Healy (WAGB-20) is took place in the central Arctic Ocean to map the seafloor in one of the world’s largest non-nuclear polar icebreakers and support of U.S. delineation of an Extended Continental Shelf was designed as a high-latitude platform for conducting a va- under provisions of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the riety of Arctic and sub-Arctic research. The ship is equipped Sea (Mayer and Armstrong, 2008). During the HLY-0805 with an automated engineering plant, state-of-the-art naviga- cruise from August 14, 2008 to September 5, 2008, passive tional equipment, extensive communication and computer acoustic monitoring of USCGC Healy was conducted during systems, a voyage management system, and a modern suite of ice-breaking operations in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. science systems (Berkson and DuPree, 1998). These measurements were taken opportunistically by Healy was commissioned in August 2000 and has an deploying and tracking omnidirectional sonobuoys on a non- overall length of 128 m (420 ft), maximum beam of 25 m interference basis with the main science objective. An analy- (82 ft), full-load draft of 8.9 m (29.2 ft), and full-load dis- sis of these recordings was conducted with the goal of esti- placement of 16,400 LT (Berkson and DuPree, 1998). The mating radiated underwater acoustic source levels during ship’s propulsion is diesel-electric with an ac/ac cyclo- different modes of propulsion in various sea ice conditions. converter system. The generating plant consists of four Sult- zer (12Z AU40S) main diesel engines, while propulsion II. MATERIALS AND METHODS power is provided by two fully reversing, variable speed, A. Data collection Westinghouse AC Synchronous drive motors (11.2 MW). The ship’s control includes two rudders and two fixed pitch The study was conducted in the western Arctic Ocean four-bladed propellers with a maximum shaft horsepower of while Healy was mapping the seafloor north of the Chukchi 30 000 horsepower (HP) at 130 revolutions per minute Cap (Fig. 1). Typical water depths were between 3 and 4 km (rpm). Healy also has a 2500 HP bow thruster with Alstom over the “foot” of the continental slope—the area where the dynamic positioning system. There is no bubbler system; a continental margin transitions into the deep seafloor. Passive bow-wash system was installed to lubricate the hull during acoustic measurements were made between August 27 and icebreaking, but it is rarely used. 31, 2008 when Healy’s navigation presented opportunities for Healy’s cruising speed is 12 kn (6.2 m/s) at 105 rpm acoustic studies.