The sounds resemble a drop of water falling into a bathtub, the “bloop” at dusk and dawn, the sound of “Upsweep”… These strange noises in the Pacific Ocean have puzzled scientists for years.
First, we must mention the mysterious “bloop”, which was first heard by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. It is a loud sound with a very low frequency originating from the Southern Pacific Ocean.
No one has explained the origin of this strange sound – (Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK).
The noise was recorded on a hydrophone and sounds like a drop of water falling into a bathtub. Scientists have been baffled by this sound for many years.
Some people speculate that this sound could be from a mermaid or even from a gigantic sea monster yet to be discovered.
Eventually, in a serendipitous moment, the mystery was unveiled.
At that time, scientists were monitoring the massive A53a iceberg melting near South Georgia Island when the “bloop” sound unexpectedly reappeared.
Analysis of the recording indicated that it was the sound of large icebergs cracking in the ocean. The spectral images obtained from the ice sounds were also quite similar to the spectrum of the “bloop”.
In 2016, a group of researchers recorded a strange “hum” that occurred at dusk and dawn.
After several days of observation, scientists believed that this humming could be the “call to dinner” of deep-sea creatures such as fish, shrimp, jellyfish, and octopuses. They collectively move from the deep ocean’s low water layers to the surface at dusk to feed on small organisms living in the upper water layer while simultaneously avoiding predators. At dawn, they dive back down to the deep sea.
The sounds were recorded at a depth of about 200 – 1,000 meters in the mesopelagic zone of the ocean—a very dark area with limited food resources.
In August 1991, another sound was heard in the Pacific Ocean. Nicknamed “Upsweep”, this sound lasts a few seconds each time and consists of a long series of upward sounds within a narrow frequency band. Strangely, this sound is seasonal, peaking in spring and autumn.
“Upsweep” is located near volcanic activity, but to date, no one is sure about the true origin of this noise.
And of course, no one can forget “Julia,” a sound recorded on March 1, 1999. It originated from a large iceberg grounded in the Antarctic, located between the Bransfield Strait and Cape Adare.
With all these strange noises occurring in the ocean, we must think about the poor fish that must often “be heard!”
