A real‐time detection system for odontocete echolocation clicks in the low‐energy processing environment of an acoustic glider.

This presentation will introduce a real‐time system, the energy ratio mapping algorithm (ERMA), for detection of odontocete echolocation clicks. The system has been developed to run continuously over extended periods of time in low‐energy processing environments such as acoustic gliders. The detector operates in the time domain and takes advantage of the species‐specific differences in the power spectra and interclick interval of echolocation clicks to minimize the number of false positive detections. We will demonstrate the operation of ERMA using the clicks of beaked whales, family Ziphiidae, as example target species. To get information on the performance of ERMA, a comparison with more sophisticated and already established detection systems was conducted. Preliminary results indicate that the developed method is a promising tool to reliably detect echolocation clicks emitted by beaked whales in real time. On‐going work is focused on implementation of the detector in the acoustic seaglider developed by the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Washington (APL‐UW) and the use of this platform for autonomous passive acoustic monitoring and mitigation of beaked whales and other odontocete species.