The aspect of the LFAS research which is by far the most ambiguous
and the most crucial is that of the LFAS's biological effects on marine
mammals. The experiment consists of emitting sonar blasts of up to 150
decibels in the breeding waters of the humpback whale located just
offshore from Honolulu. These blasts will be continued unless the whales
show signs of intense distress (e.g. numerous breachings, flight from the
sound, or increased vocal activity). Opinions and theories vary widely on
the subject according to which source is cited and with which
philosophical "side" the individual most identifies. This ambiguity is
where the greatest controversy stems from as three major questions
form.
There is another worry that should the LFAS be implemented at set places,
migration paths and breeding grounds would be altered because of the
LFAS's presence. This is a serious problem for the areas in which the
cetaceans can breed now is already so limited by other human activities
(whether it be pollution, heavy human traffic, or the recently proposed
salt works factory in Mexico) that to deter them from places currently
popular would leave them severely constrained and could potentially
decrease breeding activities. This, however, is not the most alarming of
the possibilities. There has been a disturbing connection proposed between
the mass stranding of 12 Cuvier's beaked whales in Greece and the testing of LFAS's being
done by NATO.
The correlation between the two is very strong as there are very few
recorded strandings, especially in this species, and the noted stranding
corresponded exactly with the time of the NATO testing. The stranding was
unusual in that the whales did not all strand in the same location as is
customary but rather were spread over a large area which also correlated
with the NATO tesing area. When examined, the whales had no signs of
physical damage and their stomachs were well filled with cephalod,
indicating that they were not having trouble finding nourishment and
that the stranding was not due to major wounds or diseases. This poses a
serious moral dilemma if one ascertains that these animals were caused to
strand either because of LFAS-caused loss of their supreme navigational
sonar abilities or because of the extreme disturbance (it's difficult to
say whether this would be physical or mental or both) caused by the noise.
This would be possible to test further but at the time is very unknown.
There is one final effect under consideration by a very small group. This
possibility is by far the least substantiated and yet because of its
disturbing nature should not be disregarded. It is proposed that given
that a mammal come into contact with the correct combination of frequency
and volume, it is possible
that the sound alone would be able to shear the animal's tissue or
flesh. This has been put forward by several doctors who are doing
research on the use of sound in breaking up tumors and is still highly
hypothetical. This is definitely an extreme example. However, the
statement
of one scuba diver exposed to LFAS's who described the sensation
of his lungs vibrating does make the power of the LFA's sound within the
flesh a serious consideration.
Previous research has been done on
other marine
mammals as well as the use of similar research methods used several
years ago by Scripps to ascertain whether a warming trend was evident in
the oceans. The methods of the ATOC (Acoustic
Thermometry of Ocean Climate) test and its results
are now available on the web. However, the LFAS testing pushes these
issues slightly farther. The simplest concern is that the testing and
potential use of LFAS's will be yet another pollutant in an environment
which already receives excess noise, oil, and refuse from our shipping
industries. On top of this is the potential dehabilitation of the
cetaceans' own sonar systems. One must remember that hearing for them is
like sight for us - it is their primary sense and should the LFAS's
severely impair that, the cetaceans are effectively left "acoustically
blind" in their own environment. Without sonar they would be unable to
navigate their long migration routes, identify enemies and other members
of the group at a long range, and hunt prey. Along with this is a more
social side to the problem in which the question arisesof whether the
LFAS's will interrupt the whales' own long-range communication in which
it is believed they can identify individuals by specific song patterns.
Scientists are also unsure if the LFAS transmissions will disrupt the
singing of the humpback whales which still stands as one of the most
beautiful mysteries of the natural world.