Validating shipping noise simulations for the Red Sea using field measurements

Area of Science:

• Marine acoustics
• Environmental noise modeling
• Oceanography

Background:

• The Red Sea faces increasing underwater radiated noise (URN) due to commercial shipping.
• Accurate noise assessment is crucial for marine ecosystem health and spatial planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a physics-based noise modeling framework's accuracy in the Red Sea.
• To compare modeled sound pressure levels (SPLs) with in situ acoustic measurements.

Main Methods:

• Modeled broadband (40-150 Hz) shipping and wind noise using AIS data, Hildebrand wind model, and RAM propagation.
• Deployed six autonomous acoustic recorders in summer and winter at shallow and deep sites.
• Compared modeled SPLs against measured data in time and frequency domains.

Main Results:

• Strong seasonal and spatial variability in underwater noise levels observed.
• Modeled median SPLs closely matched in situ measurements.
• Ship traffic identified as the dominant noise source; wind contribution was minimal.

Conclusions:

• The validated model accurately captures dominant low-frequency noise trends in the Red Sea.
• The framework is reliable for regional noise mapping and marine spatial planning.
• Seasonal variations impact acoustic propagation conditions.