SILENSE

Status: Plan

Soundscapes In Lakes and ENvironmental SEnsing. This project uses underwater sound as a non-invasive tool to monitor freshwater ecosystems.

hydrophones lake monitoring passive acoustics machine learning anthropogenic noise

SILENSE (Soundscapes In Lakes and ENvironmental SEnsing) explores how underwater sound can be used as a powerful, non-invasive tool to monitor large freshwater lakes. The project pioneers the adaptation of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to Lake Geneva, leveraging the unique LéXPLORE floating research platform.

Scientific Goals

  • Geophysical sound characterization: Identify acoustic signatures of natural processes like rain, wind, and waves.
  • Remote sensing by sound: Develop models to infer lake surface conditions directly from underwater acoustic signals.
  • Anthropogenic noise assessment: Quantify human-generated noise, such as ferry traffic, and its impact.

Methodological Approach

  • Continuous underwater acoustics: Permanent deployment of high-end digital hydrophones (icListen SJ9) and low-cost HydroMoth recorders.
  • Multi-sensor integration: Synchronizing acoustic data with high-frequency meteorological and hydrodynamic measurements.
  • Advanced processing: Using spectral analysis and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to classify geophysical, anthropogenic, and biological sounds.

Team Members

Collaborators