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Metadata: 2010-2012, National Physics Laboratory, Zone 8 - Atlantic Array, Underwater Noise Modelling
Abstract:
An underwater noise study (including use of numerical modelling) has been undertaken by the National Physical Laboratory to estimate the likely underwater noise levels generated by the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Atlantic Array Offshore Wind Farm. The output of this study has informed the assessment of effects of subsea noise on sensitive marine receptors throughout the Environmental Statement (ES). A total of three foundation locations were modelled which were chosen based on bathymetry and location to bathymetric features to provide broad representation of propagation conditions across the Atlantic Array site. For the construction phase, the modelled source was based on the use of a jacket foundation with a pin-pile diameter of 3.5 m installed using a 2,100 kJ hammer, with a typical hammer blow energy at 1,400 kJ. The propagation model used was based on an energy flux approach which calculates the sound energy transmitted through the water column. Results are presented in terms of sound exposure level (SEL) and peak sound pressure level (peak SPL) received level output as a function of range away from each modelled pile location whilst accounting for seabed properties and varying bathymetry. The modelling indicates that there is considerable variation in noise propagation across the Atlantic Array site due to variations in bathymetry, with good sound propagation conditions on a westerly bearing from the site. It has been estimated that mortality of marine mammals or fish would be unlikely to occur except in very close proximity to the pile or in the case of prolonged noise exposure close to the pile. Whilst it is possible that fish larvae mortality would occur, there is indicative evidence that there will be no statistically significant effect on survival rates beyond 100 m from the pile assuming they drift with the tide. It was also estimated that instantaneous injury (auditory) of marine mammals would be unlikely to occur beyond 200 m from the pile during full piling and less than 50 m during the soft-start, although prolonged exposure to the noise (SEL dose) may increase the risk at larger ranges. Assuming that hammer blow energy of 1,400 kJ will typically be used across the Atlantic Array site with the potential to peak at 2,100 kJ, it has been estimated that pinnipeds may suffer temporary threshold shift (TTS) of hearing sensitivity and exhibit a fleeing response to the underwater noise from the foundation installation at ranges of 550 m to 850 km, respectively. For harbour porpoise around mid-water column (i.e. foraging etc), the possible avoidance area around the foundation was estimated to be 17.5 km to 29.0 km, for the maximum hammer blow energy of 2,100 kJ, depending location of the foundation within the site and the surrounding bathymetry.
Data holder:
The Crown Estate
| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 19527 |
| Title | The title is used to provide a brief and precise description of the dataset such as 'Date', 'Originating organisation/programme', 'Location' and 'Type of survey'. All acronyms and abbreviations should be reproduced in full. | 2010-2012, National Physics Laboratory, Zone 8 - Atlantic Array, Underwater Noise Modelling |
| Alternative title | The purpose of alternative title is to record any additional names by which the dataset may be known. | Underwater Noise Modelling |
| File Identifier | The File Identifier is a code, preferably a GUID, that is globally unique and remains with the same metadata record even if the record is edited or transferred between portals or tools. | d4908b24-e0c4-4f33-8c9a-2b4e03ffddea |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | TCE-2628 |
| Resource type | The resource type will likely be a dataset but could also be a series (collection of datasets with a common specification) or a service. | series |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2010-01-01 |
| End date | This describes the date the resource ends. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2012-12-31 |
| Frequency of updates | This describes the frequency with which the resource is modified or updated i.e. a monitoring programme that samples once per year has a frequency that is described as 'annually'. | notPlanned |
| Abstract | The abstract provides a clear and brief statement of the content of the resource. | An underwater noise study (including use of numerical modelling) has been undertaken by the National Physical Laboratory to estimate the likely underwater noise levels generated by the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Atlantic Array Offshore Wind Farm. The output of this study has informed the assessment of effects of subsea noise on sensitive marine receptors throughout the Environmental Statement (ES). A total of three foundation locations were modelled which were chosen based on bathymetry and location to bathymetric features to provide broad representation of propagation conditions across the Atlantic Array site. For the construction phase, the modelled source was based on the use of a jacket foundation with a pin-pile diameter of 3.5 m installed using a 2,100 kJ hammer, with a typical hammer blow energy at 1,400 kJ. The propagation model used was based on an energy flux approach which calculates the sound energy transmitted through the water column. Results are presented in terms of sound exposure level (SEL) and peak sound pressure level (peak SPL) received level output as a function of range away from each modelled pile location whilst accounting for seabed properties and varying bathymetry. The modelling indicates that there is considerable variation in noise propagation across the Atlantic Array site due to variations in bathymetry, with good sound propagation conditions on a westerly bearing from the site. It has been estimated that mortality of marine mammals or fish would be unlikely to occur except in very close proximity to the pile or in the case of prolonged noise exposure close to the pile. Whilst it is possible that fish larvae mortality would occur, there is indicative evidence that there will be no statistically significant effect on survival rates beyond 100 m from the pile assuming they drift with the tide. It was also estimated that instantaneous injury (auditory) of marine mammals would be unlikely to occur beyond 200 m from the pile during full piling and less than 50 m during the soft-start, although prolonged exposure to the noise (SEL dose) may increase the risk at larger ranges. Assuming that hammer blow energy of 1,400 kJ will typically be used across the Atlantic Array site with the potential to peak at 2,100 kJ, it has been estimated that pinnipeds may suffer temporary threshold shift (TTS) of hearing sensitivity and exhibit a fleeing response to the underwater noise from the foundation installation at ranges of 550 m to 850 km, respectively. For harbour porpoise around mid-water column (i.e. foraging etc), the possible avoidance area around the foundation was estimated to be 17.5 km to 29.0 km, for the maximum hammer blow energy of 2,100 kJ, depending location of the foundation within the site and the surrounding bathymetry. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | A thorough literature review was conducted to obtain and summarise the most relevant, up-to-date and internationally accepted impact criteria from peer reviewed literature in order to assess the impact on marine mammals and fish.The noise propagation modelling employed for this study has been undertaken by the National Physical Laboratory based on an energy flux solution by Weston (1976) which is capable of propagation over large distances whilst accounting for rangedependent bathymetry and frequency-dependent absorption. |
| Related keywords | ||
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Cetacean mortality |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Acoustic noise in the water column | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Cetacean behaviour | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Fish abundance in water bodies | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Fish behaviour | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Bathymetry and Elevation | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Consenting | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Zone search area | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Human health and safety | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Species distribution | |
| Geographical coverage | ||
| North | The northern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 51.7193 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -2.9648 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 50.7529 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.3873 |
| Responsible organisations | ||
| Role | The point of contact is person or organisation with responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the metadata for the resource. | pointOfContact |
| Organisation name | RWE Npower Renewables Limited | |
| Individual name | Nick Wood | |
| nicholas.wood@rwe.com | ||
| Role | The custodian is the person or organisation that accepts responsibility for the resource and ensures appropriate care and maintenance. If a dataset has been lodged with a Data Archive Centre for maintenance then this organisation is be entered here. | custodian |
| Organisation name | The Crown Estate | |
| Phone | +44 020 7851 5000 | |
| enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk | ||
| Role | The originator is the person or organisation who created, collected or produced the resource. | originator |
| Organisation name | National Physics Laboratory | |
| https://www.npl.co.uk/contact | ||
| Role | The distributor is the person or organisation that distributes the resource. | distributor |
| Organisation name | The Crown Estate | |
| Phone | +44 020 7851 5000 | |
| enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk | ||
| Role | The owner is the person or organisation that owns the resource. | owner |
| Organisation name | RWE Renewables UK Swindon Limited | |
| support@rwe.com | ||
| Resource locators | ||
| Locator URL | Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-2628/summary |
| Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk | |
| Dataset constraints | ||
| 20.1 Limitations on Public Access - Access constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 20.2 Limitations on Public Access - Other constraints | There will be no limitations when published on the Marine Data Exchange | |
| 21.1 Conditions for Access and Use - Use constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 21.2 Conditions for Access and Use - Other constraints | This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | Data Must be used in accordance to the Marine Data Exchange's Terms of Use: https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/content/info/terms-of-use |
| Version info | ||
| Date of publication | The publication date of the resource or if previously unpublished the date that the resource was made publicly available via the MEDIN network. | 2021-05-17 |
| Harvest date | The date which this record has been (re)harvested from the provider. | 2026-09-27 |
| Metadata date | The date when the content of this metadata record was last updated. | 2026-06-18 |
| Metadata standard name | The name of the metadata standard used to create this metadata | MEDIN |
| Metadata standard version | The version of the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard used to create the metadata record | 3.1.2 |