Study of human generated impulsive noise in Turkish seas

In this study, it is aimed to obtain possible noise maps by examining the noises caused by human-generated activities in marine and coastal areas in the Turkish Seas according to accepted standards. It is recommended to determine the temporal and spatial distribution of low and medium frequency (10 hz -10 khz frequency bands) impulsive sounds according to Marine Strategy Framework Directive Indicator 11.1.1 for human generated impulsive noises. The rate of days in which the impulsive noise sources exist in a given area and their distribution in a calendar year are determined as the time and space scale of the noise. In my study, the activities that cause impulsive noise in the Turkish Seas were examined for the period of 2016-2020. In this context, a database including the sound pressure level, intensity and frequency information generated by the noise was prepared by the data obtained from the Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography and integrated into the QGIS software in line with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the information obtained from the literature. The obtained results and noise sources were compared according to the sound pressure levels and the resulting intensities in marine and coastal areas, and possible noise areas were created. It has been determined that the explosives class in marine areas and the impulsive pile driver class in coastal areas can create high sound pressure levels. By calculating the pulse block days for the study areas, the dispersal impact areas were estimated, and an infrastructure was created to investigate the effects of these areas on marine life in the future. As a result, the sources that will cause the dominant noise in marine and coastal areas in Turkey have been determined and assumptions and suggestions have been made about noise levels according to the literature. Key words: Impulsive underwater noise, voice, human generated noises, pulse block days.