The MARS project: identifying and reducing underwater noise from ships in the St. Lawrence estuary

Authors

  • Olivier Robin Université de Sherbrooke
  • Pierre Cauchy
  • Pierre Mercure-Boissonault
  • Hugo Catineau
  • Jeanne Theuriot
  • Guillaume St Onge
  • Cédric Gervaise
  • Jean-Christophe Gauthier-Marquis
  • Kamal Kesour
  • Marie-Laurence Bazinet
  • Sylvain Lafrance

Abstract


Marine Acoustics Research Station (MARS) is an applied research project dedicated to understanding the underwater noise radiated by ships and proposing efficient methods or actions for its reduction. It is co-led by the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) of the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and Innovation maritime (IMAR), with the support of MTE and OpDAQ as well as ship owners (Algoma Central Corporation, CSL, Desgagnés, Fednav). The project is financially supported by Transport Canada and the Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation.

This project relies on the design and operation of world-class instrumentation deployed in the St. Lawrence Estuary, offshore of Rimouski. Two measurements systems are combined:  the URNS station (Underwater Radiated Noise Signatures) and the OBAVSI system (On-Board Acoustic and Vibratory Sources Identification). The URNS station includes four vertical three-hydrophone  arrays in order to measure ambient noise and the underwater  noise signatures of candidate ships. The latter are not required to significantly deviate from their routes, and the arrays are autonomous and radio-linked with on-shore facilities. The OBAVSI equipment includes tachometers, microphones, and accelerometers that are in parallel deployed on ships to identify and rank vibroacoustics sources (acoustics, vibration) that contribute to underwater noise.

The presentation will present the MARS project, the two measurement systems and the results obtained up-to-date.

Additional Files

Published

2022-08-19

How to Cite

1.
Robin O, Cauchy P, Mercure-Boissonault P, Catineau H, Theuriot J, St Onge G, Gervaise C, Gauthier-Marquis J-C, Kesour K, Bazinet M-L, Lafrance S. The MARS project: identifying and reducing underwater noise from ships in the St. Lawrence estuary. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2022 Aug. 19 [cited 2024 Nov. 12];50(3):112-3. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3871

Issue

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada

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