Art Science Research on Underwater Acoustic Ecology
The Concept
Silent Pollution is an art science project examining underwater acoustic pollution in freshwater and marine environments. Using calibrated hydrophone recordings, spectral analysis, and immersive audio installation, the project makes audible the human generated noise that is destabilizing aquatic ecosystems. It transforms invisible environmental destruction into direct human perception through immersive audio installation.
"We do not learn that acoustic pollution affects fish through statistics. We learn it by listening to Lake Sevan's living sounds destroyed by human noise.
Understanding becomes immediate and visceral."
Impact statistics
90%
Sevan trout population decline since 1960
+45–60 dB
Increase in low frequency underwater noise near shipping routes above natural baseline
≈ one-third
Approximate share of the global ocean exposed to harmful levels of anthropogenic noise
+12 dB
Total increase. Low frequency ocean noise from commercial shipping has risen dramatically since the 1960s
Research Phases
PHASE 1: Lake Sevan (ARMENIA)
In Progress 2025-2026
Research location
Lake Sevan, Armenia. Elevation: 1,900m.
Surface area: 1,200-1,240 km²
Maximum depth: 83-89 meters
Home to critically endangered endemic Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan).
Recording sesion
DATE
2025/26-Winter
2025-Autumn
2026-Spring
2025-Summer
DEPTH
10m
15m
30-60m
5-20m
TIME
13:00-14:00
—————-
10:00-11:00
Variable
LOCATION
Deep Basin (Center Lake)
Spawning Grounds
Big Sevan Artanish
Small Sevan Shorja
DURATION
1 hour
1 hour
1 hour
1 h AM, 1 h PM
STATUS
Completed
Planned
Completed
Completed
Acoustic analysis preview
BASELINE AMBIENT
Winter Recording: Unpolluted deep-basin zone with minimal anthropogenic interference. Gentle water movement and thermal convection dominate. Fish vocalizations detectable in the 100–400 Hz communication band.
Expected Findings: Sevan trout spawning calls (100–400 Hz), khramulya communication signals (200–600 Hz), and a low ambient noise floor around 50–65 dB.
ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE
Summer Recording: High-traffic shipping corridor. Ferry engines and recreational boats dominate the acoustic environment. Fish vocalizations are fully masked by anthropogenic sound.
Expected Findings: Noise increase of +45–60 dB above natural baseline. Dominant noise frequencies 50–200 Hz (ferry propulsion). Complete masking of fish communication bands critical for spawning and orientation.
PHASE 2: Mediterranean Basin
Planned 2026-2027
During Phase 2, Silent Pollution will expand into marine ecosystems in Italy and Spain, tracing acoustic pollution from freshwater sources through coastal zones into the open sea. The research will include collaborative workshops and live listening sessions with blind and visually impaired communities, emphasizing audio perception as a primary form of environmental knowledge. The phase will culminate in an immersive multichannel sound installation that integrates all recorded data, guiding audiences along the freshwater to marine acoustic gradient and revealing how anthropogenic noise intensifies across ecosystems..
Methodology
BIOACOUSTIC DOCUMENTATION
High fidelity recording of endemic fish vocalizations and ecosystem acoustic signatures. Create comprehensive catalog of natural underwater soundscape across seasons.
ACOUSTIC POLLUTION COMPARISON
Simultaneous recording during peak shipping vs. quiet periods. Spectral analysis showing frequency masking and decibel increase. Quantify acoustic pollution impact.
TEMPORAL ANALYSIS
Multi season comparison of same recording sites. Document seasonal acoustic variations. Identify ecosystem health indicators through acoustic signatures.
Installation
Silent Pollution is designed as an immersive listening environment where audiences encounter underwater acoustic ecosystems with both scientific clarity and emotional depth. Scientific visuals spectrograms, frequency bands, and ecological datasets appear as subtle ambient projections, offering context without distracting from the sonic experience.
Why audio installation?
Fish communicate through sound. Only sound reveals how acoustic pollution masks critical life functions. Immersive audio creates embodied understanding impossible through data or images alone.
Audio Journey Segments
SEGMENT 1: PRISTINE SOUNDSCAPE (8 MIN)
Experience: Undisturbed Lake Sevan deep basin (winter). Gentle water movement, subtle fish vocalizations (100-400 Hz)
Perception: Visitors discover "silence" is a rich, complex soundscape normally invisible
SEGMENT 2: LAYERED POLLUTION (8 MIN)
Experience: Same location with ferry engine noise overlaid. Low frequency rumble (50-200 Hz) dominates. Fish sounds disappear
Perception: Visceral experience of frequency masking anthropogenic noise obliterates communication
SEGMENT 3: SEASONAL CYCLE (6 MIN)
Experience: Rapid transitions through spring spawning → summer pollution → autumn migration → winter baseline
Perception: Temporal rhythm of ecosystem under constant acoustic stress
HYDROPHONE
ASF-1 MKII Ambient Hydrophone
RECORDING EQUIPMENT
FREQUENCY
7 Hz - 90 kHz (±2 dB)
SENSITIVITY
-192 dB re 1V/μPa
POLAR PATTERN
Omnidirectional
MAX DEPTH
60 meters
RECORDING DEVICE
TASCAM 24-bit / 48 kHz
Impact & Outcomes
PUBLIC AWARENESS
Transform invisible crisis into perceptible experience. Audiences understand acoustic pollution as direct threat, not abstract concept
SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION
First comprehensive acoustic ecology dataset for Lake Sevan. Addresses research gap in freshwater acoustic pollution
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY
Evidence base for acoustic habitat protection legislation. Demonstrate endangered species require acoustic protection
ART-SCIENCE MODEL
Replicable model showing how artistic methodology combined with scientific rigor reveals environmental truths
Why This Matters
Acoustic pollution is a silent crisis. Fish cannot migrate from sound. Unlike chemical pollution, acoustic pollution is continuous and pervasive. Sevan trout evolved for thousands of years in a specific acoustic environment. The sudden transformation of their acoustic world is an evolutionary shock they cannot survive.
Silent Pollution makes this invisible crisis perceptible. By allowing humans to hear what fish hear, we create understanding impossible through data alone. This is art and science working together: science documents the truth, art makes it unforgettable.
"We protect what we understand. We understand what we can perceive. Silent Pollution invites us to perceive the acoustic world hidden from human senses. In that perception, conservation becomes inevitable."
