Impact of Underwater Detonations on Marine Vertebrates

MIREMAR-Conference

Blasting creates several risks to marine vertebrates. The immediate shock pulse can cause injury at considerable distance. Different sound velocities impacting on tissues of different densities can lead to laceration and rupture esp. in organs containing gas (ears, respiratory system, swim bladder and gastrointestinal tract). Another effect is acoustic trauma, i.e. hearing damage. This effect can either be temporary (TTS) or permanent (PTS).

Experimental measurements have been used to calculate safety distances for humans and cetaceans. For a 350 kg explosive charge lethal or severe injury is highly probable at 1.7 km for swimmers, 4.3 km for divers and 2.8 km for harbour porpoises. The PTS and TTS zones extend much further.

Contact
Sven Koschinski
24326 Nehmten
Tel. (+49)-4526-380808
sk(at)meereszoologie.de

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