Detection of Whale Acoustic Signals in the Northern Gulf of Mexico LADC-GEMM Database

Abstract

Low-pass Fourier filter, wavelet filter, as well as matched filter detection methods were used to detect baleen whale signals in northern Gulf of Mexico data collected by the Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center (LADC) consortium. Some potential low frequency signals appeared on the matched filter output figure. The shape of the signals is in line with one of the typical signal shapes of fin whales--vertical down-sweeps with 18s-time interval. Another shape of the signals is in line with one of the call type shapes of Bryde\u27s whales--down-sweeps with 7s-time interval. A high-pass Fourier filter was also used to find toothed whale high frequency sounds in the Gulf of Mexico data. The sounds featuring click trains and codas belonging to sperm whales have been clearly identified