Features
Advanced underwater noise modelling features for marine environments.
Underwater & Marine Acoustic Modelling Features
Developed by acoustics professionals for underwater acoustics professionals, dBSea features a user friendly interface enabling rapid modelling of underwater problems including data import & export, input of noise sources, definition of propagation properties and exporting of results.
The model is represented in 3D and may be rotated and zoomed to allow easy navigation of the problem marine environment and examination of prediction results. Where previous approaches would use a single depth slice to represent the noise levels, dBSea allows the entire problem environment to be modelled and analysed.
A model can be quickly constructed by importing bathymetry data, placing noise sources with equipment selected from standard or user-defined databases, or recorded sound, and including noise mitigation methods. The seabed and water properties can be controlled: speed of sound profile, temperature, salinity and current.
Noise levels are calculated throughout the entire project area and displayed in 3D. Results may be viewed as cross-sections at any point and direction through the problem, and a detailed spectrum of sound may be extracted at any point of interest.
Levels are calculated in octave or third octave bands. Three solver options are available for different frequency ranges. Results are compared to hearing thresholds of a number of common marine species, producing overall dBht levels.
Technical Specifications for Underwater Acoustic Modelling
Users can generate a summary of the calculations for every point in the 3D calculation area, ready to be transferred to other software such as MS Excel or Word.
Graphical output is available in JPG, PNG, GIF, PDF, SHP and ESRI GRID formats. It is simple to create elegant report data showing sound levels, areas of interest and exclusion zones.
Videos
Below are some of the videos available from our YouTube channel.
Brief video walking through the steps of setting up a simple project in dBSea. Brief video showing the modelling of moving sources such as seismic surveys.
Brief video introducing time series solves in dBSea. dBSea Basic — free version of dBSea, also perfect as a viewer.
Using shapefiles and integrating with GIS. Importing bathymetry.
dBSea SRI Tool
Sound Risk Indicator
The SRI tool addresses the need for rapid assessment of design changes to noisy activities. It accounts for most marine fauna and presents the result as a single number, facilitating easy comparisons.
Propagation modelling is complex and often slow. The SRI tool uses a conservative method to model the sound propagation and uses information about a noisy activity to predict if changes will result in increased or decreased impact on marine fauna — in seconds to minutes.
The tool considers frequency dependent vulnerability (weightings) of eleven animal groups encompassing all marine mammals, most fishes and turtles for a total of 33 threshold values for both impulsive (Lpk and SEL) and continuous noise (SEL).
Changes to a complex activity, with many moving sources, source levels and receivers, can quickly be evaluated for their effect on the environment. Results are compressed into a single number that indicates the relative impact.
Source levels can be given as band levels or as a timeseries, a common format from commercially available seismic array models. The tool also accepts movement of the noise source(s) and offers some models for generating source levels from large vessels and from seismic arrays.
The SRI tool provides the user with a good estimate of the highest possible impact. If a configuration results in a low SRI value, the user can be confident that further advanced modelling will similarly show little to no impact.
Advanced capabilities in dBSea V3
Full 3D Propagation Modelling
Three-dimensional underwater sound propagation analysis with enhanced accuracy for complex marine environments. Model sound through varying water column properties and seabed conditions, with both PE and ray tracer 3D models available.
Advanced GIS Integration
V3 features improved integration with GIS platforms such as ArcGIS and QGIS on both data import and export.
Species-Specific Animal Exposure Modelling
Target marine life impact assessment using species-specific behavioural models. Analyse exposure effects on different marine mammal species with tailored acoustic thresholds.
Fleeing Receiver Exposure Modelling
Dynamic modelling of marine mammal response and movement patterns. Simulate behavioural responses to noise sources and assess total noise exposure.