The Southern Ocean is one of the loudest places on Earth due to the presence of numerous icebergs breaking, strong winds, and frequent wave movements.
The Southern Ocean is far from silent, with a constant natural racket that mainly comes from marine animals, violent winds, and storms, as well as from the cracking of ice. In this cold and turbulent environment, huge whales sing at the top of their lungs underwater, while penguins and other marine animals constantly communicate with vocalizations. On their part, the powerful winds sweeping through this region generate impressive waves, creating a continuous rumble that can be heard even beneath the surface. And then there are the icebergs and sea ice that crack, smash, or drift with cracking sounds — this creates sounds as astonishing as they are powerful. All of this combined makes the Southern Ocean incredibly noisy by nature.
Under the icy waves of the Southern Ocean, whales produce cries, songs, and calls that resonate for hundreds of kilometers. It is primarily the blue whales or humpback whales that make their voices heard, singing during mating season or communicating within their groups. The soundscape is also filled with the metallic noises and snaps of seals and penguins, who use these sounds to recognize their mates or chicks among the crowded colonies. As for crustaceans like pistol shrimp, despite their small size, they produce clicks loud enough to startle predators or attract their meals. This joyful marine orchestra creates a real din beneath the surface.
In the Southern Ocean, wind gusts can easily exceed 100 km/h, generating a powerful noise at the surface. These violent winds constantly lift impressive waves capable of reaching ten meters, crashing down with a continuous roar. As a result, underwater, the acoustic waves created by this chaos sometimes reach hundreds of kilometers. Frequent storms thus roar almost continuously, turning the place into a true permanent weather concert. No wonder sailors refer to these latitudes as the "Roaring Forties" or the "Furious Fifties".
The cracking of ice in the Southern Ocean generates very particular sounds. When immense blocks of ice break off from glaciers or ice shelves, they create powerful and deep sounds that can travel hundreds, even thousands of kilometers underwater. Some of these cracks, a kind of underwater rumbling, spread through the ocean resonating like claps of thunder. Imagine a large iceberg cracking and collapsing: it creates a real underwater racket. These sounds are essential to understand as their frequency and volume inform researchers about climate change and the health of polar ice.
Even though the Southern Ocean seems isolated, humans still manage to make their presence known. Between the frequent passage of commercial and scientific ships, the continuous noise of their engines resonates for miles underwater. Additionally, there are the powerful echoes from sonar devices used for navigation and studying the seabed, which often disturb the most sensitive marine animals. Not to mention the activities of Antarctic stations, where the transport of goods, construction, and other daily activities contribute, on a smaller scale, to the ambient underwater noise. Even on the other side of the world, it’s hard to escape it!
When an iceberg breaks off and tips into the Southern Ocean, it generates a sound powerful enough to be detected by hydrophones placed thousands of kilometers away.
Marine ice formation can produce distinctive sounds known as 'ice songs', resembling whistles and musical crackles recorded by researchers in Antarctica.
The strong winds of the Southern Ocean, known as the 'Roaring Forties,' 'Furious Fifties,' and 'Screaming Sixties,' generate underwater sound waves that can disrupt acoustic communication among marine animals.
Some acoustic studies show that despite geographical distance, the noise from ships traveling through the Southern Ocean can be detected underwater, negatively impacting the behavior of noise-sensitive marine species.
Yes, prolonged exposure to loud noises can disrupt the communication and movement of various marine species. This can have effects on their reproductive behavior, feeding, and migratory patterns.
The breaking of the ice is accompanied by vibrations that propagate underwater, producing sounds that can sometimes be quite loud. These noises are caused by the shattering and massive displacement of chunks of ice, thus generating intense sound waves.
Indeed, humans introduce various sources of noise into the Southern Ocean, such as research and fishing vessels, as well as icebreakers. These human activities can particularly disrupt sensitive marine ecosystems.
Scientists use hydrophones, specialized equipment capable of recording underwater sounds. Positioned at various depths and strategic locations, they collect precise data on the intensity, frequency, and source of marine noise.
Whales, particularly blue whales and humpback whales, are among the main marine animals generating noise in this region. They communicate through powerful songs that can travel for miles, creating a true sound symphony.
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