Every 10 years, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) seeks an updated estimate of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) bowhead whale population to inform quotas for indigenous subsistence hunting. Cornell researchers have historically contributed acoustic analysis to this census, in collaboration with the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management. I am the lead computational analyst for the ongoing census.
To optimize the placement of the hydrophones, I made a user interface for evaluating localization coverage and accuracy for different array spacings and geometries. Through this visual and accessible approach, we co-designed the acoustic survey with our partners, balancing quantitative analysis metrics with prior experience and practical considerations for field deployment.
Our array of nine Rockhopper units was deployed, recovered, and recorded successfully. As of the fall of 2026, I am actively working on completing acoustic localization, for an updated population estimate in 2027.
To learn more about time-difference-of-arrival localization, please take a look the interactive localization demo!
