Seismic crustal imaging using fin whale songs

TitleSeismic crustal imaging using fin whale songs
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsKuna, VM, Nábělek, JL
JournalScience
Volume371
Pagination731–735
Date Published02/2021
Abstract

Fin whale calls are among the strongest animal vocalizations that are detectable over great distances in the oceans. We analyze fin whale songs recorded at ocean-bottom seismometers in the northeast Pacific Ocean and show that in addition to the waterborne signal, the song recordings also contain signals reflected and refracted from crustal interfaces beneath the stations. With these data, we constrain the thickness and seismic velocity of the oceanic sediment and basaltic basement and the P-wave velocity of the gabbroic lower crust beneath and around the ocean bottom seismic stations. The abundant and globally available fin whale calls may be used to complement seismic studies in situations where conventional air-gun surveys are not available.

URLhttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf3962
DOI10.1126/science.abf3962

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