IMOS - Ships of Opportunity – Bioacoustics - Data from Austral Fisheries FV Southern Champion in the Indian Ocean from the 10th of May 2011 to the 12th of May 2011.

This Bio Acoustic data was collected in May 2011 under the IMOS Ship of Opportunity (SOOP) Bio Acoustic (BA) program on Austral Fisheries FV Southern Champion (IMOS platform code: VHGI).Departed: Australia, May 10, 2011Arrived:      Australia, May 12, 2011Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed. Mid-water prey form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds.The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Acoustic mapping is done from fishing and scientific vessels that are equipped with scientifically-calibrated 38 kHz digital echo-sounders that record a slice of acoustic backscatter to a depth of 1500 meters.

本生物声学（Bio Acoustic，缩写BA）数据集于2011年5月，依托海洋集成观测系统（Integrated Marine Observing System，缩写IMOS）的机遇船舶（Ship of Opportunity，缩写SOOP）生物声学项目采集完成，作业载体为澳大利亚渔业公司（Austral Fisheries）旗下的“Southern Champion”号渔船（IMOS平台代码：VHGI）。
起航：澳大利亚，2011年5月10日
返航：澳大利亚，2011年5月12日

生物声学信号可用于解析中层水域猎物物种的分布格局，该类物种统称为小型游泳生物（micronekton），涵盖小型鱼类、头足类、磷虾及水母。中层猎物是海洋食物网的核心组成部分，能够将能量从海洋表层的初级生产者传递至金枪鱼、旗鱼、鲨鱼、海豹与海鸟等顶级捕食者。

小型游泳生物的生物量与分布特征，可反映海洋生态系统结构与功能的宏观格局，以及海洋生态系统的动态变化过程。本次声学测绘工作由配备经科学校准的38 kHz数字回声测深仪的渔业及科研船舶完成，该设备可记录深度达1500米的声学后向散射切片数据。