Variation in the emission rate of sounds in a captive group of false killer whales Pseudorca crassidens during feedings: possible food anticipatory vocal activity?

This study examines whether a group of captive false killer whales(P seudorca crassidens) showed variations in the vocal rate around feeding times. The high level of motivation to express appetitive behaviors in captive animals may lead them to respond with changes of the behavioral activities during the time prior to food deliveries which are referred to as food anticipatory activity. False killer whales at Qingdao Polar Ocean World(Qingdao, China) showed signifi cant variations of the rates of both the total sounds and sound classes(whistles, clicks, and burst pulses) around feedings. Precisely, from the Transition interval that recorded the lowest vocalization rate(3.40 s/m/d), the whales increased their acoustic emissions upon trainers' arrival(13.08 s/m/d). The high rate was maintained or intensifi ed throughout the food delivery(25.12 s/m/d), and then reduced immediately after the animals were fed(9.91 s/m/d). These changes in the false killer whales sound production rates around feeding times supports the hypothesis of the presence of a food anticipatory vocal activity. Although sound rates may not give detailed information regarding referential aspects of the animal communication it might still shed light about the arousal levels of the individuals during different social or environmental conditions. Further experiments should be performed to assess if variations of the time of feeding routines may affect the vocal activity of cetaceans in captivity as well as their welfare.

Space-division multiple access for CDMA multiuser underwater acoustic communications

Time reversal mirror （TRM） can use the physical characteristics of the underwater acoustic （UWA） channel to focus on the desired user in multi-user UWA communication. The active average sound intensity （AASI） detector can estimate all azimuths of users with the same frequency band at the same time in order to achieve directional communication by vector combination. Space-division multiple access （SDMA） based on TRM combined with the AASI detector is proposed in this paper, which can make the capacity of the code division multiple access （CDMA） UWA system significantly increase. The simulation and lake test results show that the 7-user UWA multi-user system can achieve low bit error communication.

Optimization of the number and the positions of error sensors in adaptive active sound control

In recent years, researches on the attenuation theory of active sound control and the technique of adaptive active sound control have becn made independently. By optimizing the number and the positions of error sensors, a relation between them is found in this paper. The method and the formulae for optimization are given. The factors affecting the attenuation effects are discussed. All theoretical results are verilied by experiments and the attenuation effects are satisfied.

Three dimensional active sound field cancellation

In this paper, a novel method for Three dimensional active sound field cancellation is proposed. The optimum sound cancellations in different situations may be obtained. An array whose elements lie on a set of rings placed on the surface of a scattering object is considered as the device. It is quite possible to cancel the scattered sound field to any arbitrary level over either the whole space or a partial area of interest, as long as the number of the array elements issufficient

Control of sound radiation from vibrating structure using active constrained layer: Ⅱ. Numerical calculation

The solution to the state response of active constrained layer and the expression of the sound field radiated from the vibrating structure are given, and the damping mechanisms of active constrained layer (ACL) are discussed. Compaxisons are made with the passive constrained layer (PCL) and the traditional active control method in reducing the structural vibration. The numerical results indicate that: using the active constrained layer damping (ACLD) treatment to dissipate energyt not only the vibration amplitude of structtire is reduced, but also the sound radiated from vibrating structure is suppressed