Acoustic field

Investigating the spatial and temporal variability of the acoustic fieldat FINO3 while recording the presence of porpoises

Department of Underwater Sound and Geophysics (FWG) in the business area of the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Ships and Naval Weapons, Maritime Technology and Research (WTD 71)
Dr. Frank Gerdes

The objective is to measure the acoustic field at FINO3 as well as possible change resulting from the building and operation of the DanTysk and Sandbank24 offshore wind farms. For this an acoustic measuring chain with several hydrophones distributed above the head of water was installed close to FINO3. This is intended to investigate the correlation of the underwater noise with environmental parameters and with construction and operating parameters of the wind farm. The investigations will enable reliable assertions to be made on the environmentally-related variability of sound propagation and distribution as well as on the physical limits to the predictability of sound pressures in connection with wind farms.

This creates a basis for discussing and evaluating results of individual measurements and sound field predictions. In addition, this will provide a scientific basis for evaluating the cumulative impact of wind farms and for developing measures to avoid a negative impact on the presence of porpoises close to FINO3.

Planning:
Acoustic field measurements will be carried out during different construction and operational phases of the offshore wind farms and under various environmental conditions. Also, the spatial variability of the sound field will be investigated using ship-based measurement campaigns. Both sets of data will be analysed in terms of the variability of the environment-, structure- and operation-dependent acoustic field. Accepted procedures for acoustic field forecasts will be investigated in terms of the impact of environmentally determined variability and uncertainties in marginal conditions. The measured and simulation results will be documented in a form which is suited for the licensing procedure. Acoustic and optical methods will also be used to record the local incidence of porpoises and any change to this.