JASCO Applied Sciences
FormerlyJASCO Research Ltd.
TypePrivate
IndustryEngineering and Technical Services
FoundedVictoria, British Columbia Canada (1981 (1981))
FounderJoseph A. Scrimger
Headquarters
Halifax, Nova Scotia
,
Canada
Number of locations
7 (2022)
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Scott Carr (CEO)
  • David Hannay (CSO)
  • Roberto Racca (CCO)
Websitewww.jasco.com

JASCO Applied Sciences provides scientific consulting services and equipment related to underwater acoustics. JASCO operates from 7 international locations and provides services to the oil and gas, marine construction, energy, renewable energy, fisheries, maritime transport and defence sectors. The head office is located in Halifax, NS Canada. JASCO employs acousticians, bioacousticians, physicists, marine mammal scientists, engineers, technologists, and project managers.

Services

Ocean Systems Engineering

JASCO designs and manufactures small and large ocean monitoring systems.[1] JASCO was responsible for the $9.5M Boundary Pass Underwater Listening Station commissioned by Transport Canada. The listening station is a cabled observatory in the Salish Sea completed in June 2020.[2][3][4][5]

Underwater Sound Monitoring

The firm deploys calibrated sound recorders to measure underwater sound levels. Projects may be long-term, wide-area acoustic monitoring programs[6][7] or short-term measurements of industrial sources or marine vessels. The data collected are then analysed to determine the acoustic signature of the sound sources, characterize the ambient noise conditions at the measurement site,[8] or detect and identify marine mammal vocalizations.[9][10][11] To determine the environmental impacts, JASCO measures underwater anthropogenic noise from many sources, including:

Predictive Modelling Studies

The firm also conducts numerical modelling studies to predict the underwater field of noise sources required for industrial projects' environmental impact assessments. The loud sounds produced by pile driving and seismic surveys can disturb and even injure marine mammals[19] and fish. The results of underwater acoustic modelling are commonly expressed as safety radii (or exclusion zone radii) that are used by marine mammal observers during operations to ensure animals are not exposed to harmful levels of noise.[20] Results are also provided as contour maps of the sound levels around the noise source. These maps can be used to assess or mitigate the impacts of the noise on marine mammals,[21] fish, and other aquatic wildlife.

JASCO also performs modelling of aquatic species’ movement and behaviour, exposing simulated marine animals (called animats) to 3-D modelled sound fields. Unique movement and behaviour parameters are determined for each species from animal behaviour studies to simulate how the animals behave and move within the environment. The acoustic exposure of each animal is determined and compared to the regulated exposure criteria to predict potential environmental impacts of an acoustic source.

Acoustic Software Development

JASCO develops scientifically based software for the analysis and display of underwater acoustic data, including automated detection algorithms for marine mammal species and anthropogenic noise sources.[22]

Notable Projects

Notable projects JASCO was/is involved in:

Products

OceanObserver acquisition and processing system

The OceanObserver is an underwater acoustic data recorder that processes sound data onboard in order to detect marine mammal vocalization. This removes the necessity to transfer the raw acoustic data from the recorder, reducing demands on communication bandwidth.

The OceanObserver is used in numerous instruments, including robotic vehicles (e.g. underwater gliders),[36] spar buoys, real-time monitoring buoys, research buoys, and cabled underwater observatories.[37] Typical projects for these instruments include:

  • Real-time pile driving monitoring: sending peak sound pressure levels to shore to ensure regulated threshold levels are not exceeded.
  • Marine mammal detection and avoidance: Detecting and localizing marine mammals over vast areas to allow alerting nearby vessels or operations to prevent collision or disturbance. For example, marine mammal detection has been used to locate North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and enable temporary closures of affected areas.[38]
  • Quantifying and mitigating vessel noise: Semi-permanent seabed monitoring stations, connected to shore by undersea cable, sending vessel sound source measurements to determine how to reduce impacts from vessel underwater noise pollution.[12]

AMAR G4 underwater sound recorder

Two AMAR G4s being deployed near Kitimat, BC, each with a hydrophone surrounded by a yellow shroud to reduce flow-induced noise over the hydrophone

The successor to the AMAR G3, AMAR G4 (Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic Recorder Generation 4) is an underwater acoustic and oceanographic data recorder with 10 TB of removable SD memory cards and Wi-Fi communications. It consists of recording electronics housed inside a watertight pressure housing. The AMAR can be connected to up to 16 hydrophones[39] and up to 7 oceanographic sensors (e.g., dissolved oxygen, salinity, acidity, temperature).

AMAR G3 underwater sound recorder

The Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic Recorder Generation 3 (AMAR G3) is an underwater acoustic and oceanographic data recorder consisting of recording electronics housed inside a watertight pressure housing. The AMAR can be connected to up to 8 hydrophones sampled at rates up to 128 kHz.[40]

Several AMARs were used on the Strait of Georgia branch[41] of the VENUS ocean observatory, an observatory that provides publicly available underwater sound recordings.[42][43][44]

References

  1. ↑ Withers, Paul (June 17, 2019). "Despite labour shortages, Nova Scotia's ocean tech sector is booming". CBC News.
  2. 1 2 Mariam, Bethlehem; Martins, Nikitha (Dec 12, 2020). "Whale research initiative measuring ocean sounds off Vancouver southwest coast". CityNews.
  3. 1 2 Johnson, Paul (December 13, 2020). "Ground-breaking technology deployed to protect B.C. whales by tracking impact of ship noise". Global News.
  4. 1 2 Gaetz, Wells (December 13, 2020). "Company responsible for underwater noise monitoring project hopes to have global impact". CTV Vancouver Island.
  5. ↑ Griffin, Mary (December 14, 2020). "Listening stations in Salish Sea aim to help endangered orcas". CHEK News.
  6. ↑ Hannay, David E.; Delarue, Julien; Mouy, Xavier; Martin, Bruce S.; Leary, Del; Oswald, Julie N.; Vallarta, Jonathan (2013). "Marine mammal acoustic detections in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, September 2007–July 2011". Continental Shelf Research. 67: 127–146. Bibcode:2013CSR....67..127H. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2013.07.009.
  7. ↑ Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. (April 2012). "Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Plan for Exploration Drilling of Selected Lease Areas in the Alaskan Chukchi Sea" (PDF). NOAA Fisheries.
  8. ↑ JASCO Applied Sciences, Environnement Illimité inc. (January 2013). "Simandou Project (Guinea), Port Component, Underwater Noise Conditions Baseline Report" (PDF). Rio Tinto Simandou. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  9. ↑ "Unique research records rare whale species in Cook Strait". Scoop Independent News. March 29, 2017.
  10. ↑ Foreshew, Jennifer (18 June 2013). "Great Barrier Reef becomes a sounding board for science". The Australian.
  11. ↑ Mouy, Xavier; Hannay, David; Zykov, Mikhail; Martin, Bruce (2012). "Tracking of Pacific walruses in the Chukchi Sea using a single hydrophone". Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 131 (2): 1349–58. Bibcode:2012ASAJ..131.1349M. doi:10.1121/1.3675008. PMID 22352508. S2CID 329488.
  12. 1 2 Chatwell, Ian (June 11, 2019). "Transport Canada Undertaking #38 from the Review Panel for the Proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. Letter from Transport Canada to Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. 148 (3): 1215. Bibcode:2020ASAJ..148.1215K. doi:10.1121/10.0001811. PMID 33003888. S2CID 221855932.
  13. 1 2 "Tappan Zee Hudson River Crossing Project: Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix F-4A – Hydroacoustic Noise Modeling" (PDF). The New NY Bridge Project Archive.
  14. 1 2 "All ears for Deepwater Wind". reNEWS.BIZ.
  15. ↑ Pine, Matt (August 28, 2018). "Taking it slow can help reduce impacts of Arctic shipping on whales (commentary)". Mongabay News.
  16. ↑ Butler, Jeff (18 August 2020). "Canada approves 1st lithium-ion commercial passenger boat". plugboats.com.
  17. ↑ Warner, Graham; McCrodan, Andrew; MacDonnell, Jeff; Lumsden, Eric (2012). "Underwater sound measurements of high frequency sonars using a seabedmounted recorder". Journal of the Canadian Acoustical Association. 40 (3): 86–87.
  18. ↑ "What's up with tidal energy? An OREA project will fill tidal energy knowledge gaps and look at issues related to conversion technologies". PLANT Magazine. August 24, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Marine Mammals and Noise: A Sound Approach to Research And Management" (PDF). A Report to Congress from the Marine Mammal Commission. March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-11.
  20. ↑ Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. (April 2012). "Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Plan for Exploration Drilling of Selected Lease Areas in the Alaskan Chukchi Sea" (PDF). NOAA Fisheries.
  21. ↑ Aly, Thomson (20 January 2014). "Reduce seismic testing noises to protect whales, study recommends". The Canadian Press. CBC News.
  22. ↑ Brooks, David (Apr 8, 2021). "Did ocean noise levels change during the pandemic?". Granite Geek.
  23. ↑ "Status report on transformational and major Crown projects". Department of National Defence. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  24. ↑ "ADEON". University of New Hampshire.
  25. ↑ "ECHO Program takes heed of underwater noise and marine life". Vancouver Sun. Feb 21, 2017.
  26. ↑ Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. "ECHO Program Voluntary Vessel Slowdown Trial Summary Findings" (PDF). Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
  27. ↑ Port of Vancouver. "Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project: Project Construction Update" (PDF). Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
  28. ↑ "Construction & Operations Plan: South Fork Wind Farm, Appendix J1 – Acoustic Assessment Report—Underwater". Bureau of Ocean Energy Management document archive.
  29. ↑ Pynn, Larry (October 7, 2016). "Scientists install new listening array on floor of Strait of Georgia". Vancouver Sun.
  30. ↑ Drews, Keven (September 15, 2015). "New hydrophones in B.C. monitor ship noise in bid to help whales". CTV News. The Canadian Press.
  31. ↑ Haun, Eric (September 17, 2015). "Port Monitors Impact of Ship Noise on Whales". MarineLink.
  32. ↑ Wood, Graeme (October 6, 2015). "Port Metro Vancouver to research shipping noise on whale habitat". Richmond News.
  33. ↑ "Strait of Georgia". Ocean Networks Canada.
  34. ↑ "CSESP Acoustic Monitoring". ChukchiScience.com.
  35. ↑ "Fugro Partnership Provides a Sound Solution". Fugro. Aug 21, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Gliding into the Honguedo Strait: critical ocean monitoring for whales at risk". Ocean Tracking Network. Oct 11, 2019.
  37. ↑ Moloney, John; Cole, Art; Hillis, Craig; Kowarski, Katie; MacDonald, Blair; Pedersen, Geir; Tassara, Luca; Camus, Lionel (2019). "Observer/AMAR G4 Passive Acoustic Monitoring System for Autonomous Maritime Observation". 2018 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Workshop (AUV). pp. 1–9. doi:10.1109/AUV.2018.8729796. ISBN 978-1-7281-0253-5. S2CID 174820711.
  38. ↑ Kowarski, Katie A.; Gaudet, Briand J.; Cole, Arthur J.; Maxner, Emily E.; Turner, Stephen P.; Martin, S. Bruce; Johnson, Hansen D.; Moloney, John E. (2020). "Near real-time marine mammal monitoring from gliders: Practical challenges, system development, and management implications". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 148 (3): 1215–1230. Bibcode:2020ASAJ..148.1215K. doi:10.1121/10.0001811. PMID 33003888.
  39. ↑ "AMAR G4: Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic Recorder Generation 4". JASCO Applied Sciences.
  40. ↑ Sousa-Lima, Renata S.; Norris, Thomas F.; Oswald, Julie N.; Fernandes, Deborah P. (2013). "A Review and Inventory of Fixed Autonomous Recorders for Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Marine Mammals". Aquatic Mammals. 39 (1): 23-53. doi:10.1578/AM.39.1.2013.23. S2CID 4048882.
  41. ↑ "Strait of Georgia". Ocean Networks Canada.
  42. ↑ "Ocean Networks Canada Data: Salish Sea > Strait of Georgia East > Hydrophone Array - Box Type". Ocean Networks Canada.
  43. ↑ "Ocean Networks Canada Data: Salish Sea > Strait of Georgia East > Underwater Listening Station". Ocean Networks Canada.
  44. ↑ "Ocean Networks Canada Data: Salish Sea > Strait of Georgia East > Underwater Listening Station - Secondary". Ocean Networks Canada.
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