The Power of Sound: Tuning into the Rising Volume in the Gulf of Maine.

Abstract

Marine species that function acoustically rely on sounds contained by the dynamic composition and material properties of the ocean’s reflective surface. Ocean soundscapes are being impacted by anthropogenic disturbances that penetrate the environment and disorient marine life. In Nova Scotia, local whale watching businesses depend on populations impacted by ship traffic in the Gulf of Maine. This thesis argues that conflict between the actors - ships, visitors, and whales - can be translated by using researchers to bridge understanding between the whale below and our perception above. The project proposes coupling a visitor center with an oceanic research center for seafloor materials, acoustics, and habitat off the province’s northwestern coastline in the Bay of Fundy to the Gulf of Maine. Sites were chosen within the Bay, an acoustic volume, where unique energetic channels allow the passage of water, creating opportunities for connection between volumes and thresholds of flow and sounds.