Playback experiment highlights detection range differences between commonly used PAM devices

A new paper by MaREI’s Nicole Todd from University College Cork investigates detection range differences between static passive acoustic monitoring devices using playbacks of harbour porpoise signals.

Key findings:

• SoundTrap had the largest detection range: 297 m
• F-POD outperformed the C-POD, with detection ranges of 241 m vs 220 m

These differences are important to consider when comparing studies or designing long-term acoustic monitoring programmes. Understanding how devices perform relative to one another helps ensure better planning, consistency, and data interpretation in marine mammal monitoring.

Read the full open-access article here.

Figure shows range as Effective Detection Radius (EDR), Effective Detection Area (EDA) is detection range as area around the acoustic devices.