DOI: 10.5061/dryad.m905qfvb7
title: Data from: Capture and release of Minke whales offers new research opportunities, including measurements of mysticete hearing

description: Predicting and mitigating anthropogenic ocean noise impacts on marine
 animals is hindered by a lack of information on hearing in these species.
 We established a catch-and-release program to temporarily hold adolescent
 Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) for hearing tests during their
 summer migration. In 2023, two Minke whales provided measures of the
 auditory brainstem response and data on the frequency range of their
 hearing. Results show that Minke whales are sensitive to sound frequencies
 as high as 45 – 90 kHz. These tests provide information on the types of
 anthropogenic noise that could affect Minke whales and, at least, other
 related baleen whale species.
description: This data was acquired using the Evoked Response Study Tool
 created by Dr. James Finneran at the Naval Information Warfare Center
 Pacific. The data consists of binary files of recordings made with a data
 acquisition system from National Instruments. The system digitized
 voltages collected from the skin surface and produced in response to the
 transmission of an acoustic stimulus. The voltages were filtered (0.3-3
 kHz or 0.03-3 kHz) and amplified (94 dB) prior to digitization at a rate
 of 250 kHz. Each binary file is associated with .aep file. The .aep file
 is a text file containing a header with a description of the data
 collection parameters and text showing the processed output of the binary
 file. Processing consisted of the coherent averaging of segments from
 within the binary file.  
description: # Data from: Capture and release of Minke whales offers new research
 opportunities, including measurements of mysticete hearing
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m905qfvb7](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m905qfvb7) ## Description of the data and file structure This data was collected as part of a hearing study conducted in a small baleen whale, the Minke whale (*Balaenoptera acutorostrata*). Data collection was performed in the region of Lofoten in Norway. Animals were temporarily caught and held for the hearing tests, and then released back into the wild. The hearing tests were performed by collecting auditory evoked potentials, which are small voltages produced by the brain in response to hearing a sound. The evoked potentials were recorded with non-invasive suction cup electrodes attached to the skin of the whales. Evoked potentials were generated by transmitting various acoustic signals to the whale through an underwater transducer. ### Files and variables #### File: Minke\_whale\_data.zip **Description:** Zip file containing three folders with auditory evoked potential data collected from two whales. The whales are given the IDs of Ba23_2606a (two folders) and Ba23_2706c (one folder). The folders are: 2023 06 25 minke Ba23_2606a 2023 06 26 minke Ba23_2606a 2023 06 28 minke Ba23_2706c #### File: \_EVREST.log **Description:** This is the event log for a data acquisition session. It is an ASCII text file with two columns of tab-delimited data. The .log file can be opened with most word processing programs (e.g., Word or Notepad), as well as most ASCII text editors. The first column is a time stamp in the native format of the LabVIEW programming environment. It is the number of seconds that have elapsed since 12:00 AM, Friday, January 1, 1904, UTC. The second column is a short descriptor of the recorded event. #### File: \*.bin **Description:** This file contains the raw binary data collected during a hearing test. The .bin files can be opened via scripts from various programming languages (e.g., MatLab, Python, R). The data are in i16 little-endian format. The file contains no header. Information in the header of the associated .aep file (see below) is required to properly segment the binary data into the sequential epochs of data stored within the file.  The naming convention of the file is automated based upon user input at the start of data collection. It is as follows  (bold segment corresponds to the descriptor): **minke**20230625_001__001.bin - The user-defined descriptor set prior to data acquisition. minke**20230625**_001__001.bin - The date in YYYYMMDD format. minke20230625_**001**__001.bin - The data collection series number, which can be changed by the user during data collection. minke20230625_001__**001**.bin - The data collection trial number. These can increase within a series.  minke20230625_006_**023k**_001.bin - If a specific frequency for the hearing test is specified by the user, it is inserted between the series and trial number. The designation is the frequency in kHz (e.g., 023k represents 23 kHz). #### File: \*.aep **Description:** ASCII text file with header detailing the values of experimental parameters used in the hearing test. The .aep file can be opened with most word processing programs (e.g., Word or Notepad), as well as most ASCII text editors. The header is followed two columns of data. The first column is the time of a voltage amplitude recording (in seconds), and the second column is the amplitude of the recorded voltage (in volts). The time and voltage data are the coherently averaged epochs extracted from the binary data. The .aep file can be used to quickly look at the averaged evoked response as processed with the parameters given at the time of the data collection. Modifications to the processing must be performed using the raw data in the .bin file. The header of the AEP file is presented below with each of the fields explained. Note that not all fields will be displayed if a pre-configured transmission file is loaded from disk. Notes = { }* ASCII text holding any notes added by the user prior to data acquisition through the front control panel of the EVREST system.* A - Output channel = Dev1/ao0;* Primary output channel designation. The text describes the data acquisition device (Dev1) and the analog output channel (ao0). Numbers following Dev and ao may vary depending on the computer hardware configuration.* A - Attenuator = Digital;* Describes that type of attenuator used . Options are None (no attenuator), USB (external attenuator), Digital (internal attenuator). *  A - Attenuation (dB) = 0.0;* Describes the degree of attenuation in dB.* A - Load from disk = 1;* Designates the disk from which data are loaded.* A - BIN file = C:\Users\NMMF AEP\Desktop\Mysticete Upchirps\Uncompensated EQ_0125.wav;* Path describing the location of a pre-created sound wave file to be projected. Files may be .bin or .wav.* A - PRJ File = C:\Users\NMMF AEP\Desktop\PRJ\NEW_JP4_SAM.prj;* Describes the location of the file that contains the calibration information for the transducer used during the hearing test.* B - Output channel = Dev1/ao1;* Secondary channel, as above.* B - Attenuator = Digital;* Secondary channel, as above.* B - Attenuation (dB) = 70.0;* Secondary channel, as above.* B - Load from disk = 0;* Secondary channel, as above.* B - BIN file =;* Secondary channel, as above.* *Note, a blank field means the object has not been defined.* B - PRJ File = C:\EVREST\definitions\prj\JP_NMMF_102715.prj;* Secondary channel, as above.* Update rate (Hz) = 1000000.0000;* The digitization rate of the signal to be transmitted.* Flip Alternate = 1;* Boolean designation of whether the acoustic stimulus polarity should be flipped on alternate presentations (0=no, 1=yes).* Delivery rate (Hz) = 13.3;* The rate at which the acoustic stimulus is transmitted.* Component On = 1;* Dictates how many acoustic signals are being transmitted. EVREST permits up to 16 components for the creation of complex acoustic signals.* Invert Polarity = 0;* Indicates if the polarity of the signal is flipped (0=no, 1=yes).* Center Frequency (Hz) = 8000.000; *Center frequency of the acoustic stimulus.* Random Phase = 0;* Indicates whether the phase is randomized on each transmission (0=no, 1=yes).* FM Bandwidth (%) = 50.0;* Indicates the frequency band of the signal over which frequency modulation occurs. It is a percentage of the total bandwidth.* FM Frequency (Hz) = 10.000;* Indicates the frequency modulation rate of the signal.* FM Phase (deg) = 0.0;* Indicates the frequency modulation phase.* AM Frequency (Hz) = 200.000;* Indicates the amplitude modulation rate.* AM Depth (%) = 100.0; *Indicates the depth of amplitude modulation as a percentage of the maximum amplitude.* AM Phase (deg) = 0.0;* Indicates the phase of the amplitude modulation.* Output duration (ms) = 50.0000;* Duration of the transmitted signal.* Rise/fall time (ms) = 0.2500;* Duration of the rise time and fall time of any amplitude envelope applied to the transmitted signal.* Stimulus delay (ms) = 0.0;* The duration of the delay in stimulus transmission after a data acquisition trial has started.* TVR = 128.5;* The transmission voltage response of the transducer at the selected transmission frequency. The units are* *1 μPa/V at 1 meter.* Amplitude (V) = 1.18850;* Amplitude of the voltage driving the transducer to produce signal transmission.* dBV = 1.5; A*mplitude of the voltage driving the transducer in dB relative to 1 V.* SPL = 130.0;* The sound pressure level of the transmitted signal in dB re: X, where X is determined by the signal type.* Sweep Amplitude = 0;* Not used.* Sweep Peak Latency (ms) = 800.0000;* Not used.* Sweep SPL Range (dB) = 60.0;* Not used.* Waveform = Pip Train;* Identifier of waveform to be transmitted. Options include: Pure Tone, FM (up), FM (down), FM (sine), Click, Tone Pip, Pip Train, Square Pulse.* Tone Pip Style = (2-1-2);* According to the structure "rise-plateau-fall", this describes the structure of a tone pip envelope with each number describing the number of cycles for each component.* Modulation = AM (3);* Describes the type of amplitude modulation applied to the transmission. Options include: None, AM(2), AM(3), cos^2, cos^3, cos^4.* Rise/fall Shape = None;* Describes the shape of the envelope applied to a signal. Options include: None, Linear, Cosine, cos^2.* Channel = A;* Indicates the channel for data input (i.e. recorded voltages from a hearing test subject).* Input channel = Dev1/ai0; *Primary input channel designation. The text describes the data acquisition device (Dev1) and the analog input channel (ai0). Numbers following Dev and ai may vary depending on the computer hardware configuration.* Number of AI channels = 1;* Indicates number of analog input channels..* Scan rate (Hz) = 250000.0000;* Indicates the sampling rate with which voltages acquired from the test subject are sampled.* Input duration (ms) = 75.3000;* Duration of the data collection sweep.* DAQ range (V) = ± 5.0;* Voltage range of the data acquisition card.* Number of averages = 512;* Indicates the number of sweeps to be collected.* Reject level (V) = 4.9;* Sets the voltage reject level above which a sweep will be discarded (due to electrical artifacts from muscles or external sources).* Analysis start time (ms) = 10.0;* Time within a sweep that the analysis window begins.* Analysis duration (ms) = 50.0;* Duration of the analysis window.* Actual averages = 512;* Number of actual averages after rejection of sweeps exceeding the reject level.* dB reference (uPa) = 1;* Reference value for sound level calculations.* Initial rejects = 0;* The number of sweeps initially rejected from a data collection trial.* ORD Alpha (%) = 1.0;* ORD stands for Objective Response Detection. This value indicates the alpha for the statistical test.* ORD Subaverages = 8;* Indicates the number of subaverages to be collected for the statistical test.* ORD Adjacent frequencies = 19;* Indicates the number of adjacent frequency bins to be used in the statistical test.* Number of rejected epochs = 0;* Number of epochs rejected by the system.* Epochs rejected (%) = 0.0;* Number of epochs rejected by the system as a percentage of the total number collected.* Background noise (Vrms) = 9.993998E-8;* Indicates the electrical background noise.* Stats interval = 256;* Indicates the number of epochs to be acquired before a statistical test is performed.* BN measures per epoch = 4;* The number of background noise (BN) measurements to make with the collection of each epoch.* BN criterion (Vrms) = 0.000000E+0;* Indicates the background noise measure limit, if implemented.* Epochs per block = 8;* Indicates the number of epochs (sweeps) to be collected for each block (multiple blocks are used to make a subaverage).* Average type = 2;* Indicates the type of averaging to be performed. Options include: None (0), Normal (1), and Weighted (2).* Fsp dof = 8;* Indicates the number of degrees of freedom to use in the Fsp statistic.* De-trend = 1;* Indicates whether the acquired data are de-trended. (0=no, 1=yes)* Digital Filter On = 0;* Indicates whether the digital filter is used. (0=no, 1=yes)* HP Filter On = 1;* Indicates whether the high-pass (HP) filter is used. (0=no, 1=yes)* HP Cutoff (Hz) = 300.0;* Indicates the frequency of the high-pass (HP) cutoff.* LP Filter On = 0; *Indicates whether the low-pass (LP) filter is used. (0=no, 1=yes)* LP Cutoff (Hz) = 3000.0; *Indicates the frequency of the low-pass (LP) cutoff.* Filter Style = 0;* Not used.* Filter Order = 6;* Not used.* Passband Ripple (dB) = 3.0;* Not used.* Stopband Attenuation (dB) = 40.0;* Not used.* Apply Frequency Response = 0;* Indicates whether a frequency response is to be applied.* Frequency Response File =;* Indicates the path to the frequency response file.* Window = None;* Indicates the type of window to be applied to each sweep. Options include: None (0), Hanning (1), Hamming (2), Blackman-Harris (3), Exact Blackman (4), Blackman (5), Flat Top (6), Four Term Blackman Harris (7), Seven Term Blackman Harris (8), Low Sidelobe (9).* ORD Method = MSC;* Defines the statistical test to use for Objective Response Detection. Options include: Magnitude Squared Coherence (MSC), F-test (F), Phase Coherence (PC), Circular T^2 (CT2), modified Single-Point F-test (Fsp).* Bioamp gain = 50000.0;* Indicates the multiplier for amplification of the biological signal recorded.* Bioamp highpass (Hz) = 30.0;* Indicates the frequency of the high-pass cutoff.* Bioamp lowpass (Hz) = 3000.0;* Indicates the frequency of the low-pass cutoff.* Bioamp line filter = 0.0;* Indicates whether a line filter is used. (0=no, 1=yes). This has no effect on data collection.* Software Version = 4.0.13;* Version of the EVREST software.* Amplitude (mean) = 5.919293E-8;* Mean amplitude of the grand averaged signal, in V.* Amplitude (sd) = 1.021735E-7; *Standard deviation of the amplitude of the grand averaged signal, in V.* Amplitude (sem) = 1.277168E-8;* Standard error of the mean of the amplitude of the grand averaged signal, in V.* Amplitude (95ci) = 2.552218E-8; *The 95% confidence interval* *of the amplitude of the grand averaged signal, in V.* Phase (mean, deg) = 156.8791; *The average phase of the grand averaged signal, in degrees.* Phase (sd, deg) = 56.2479;* Standard deviation of the grand averaged signal, in degrees* Phase (sem, deg) = 7.0310;* Standard error of the mean of the grand averaged signal, in degrees.* Phase (95ci, deg) = 14.0503; *The 95% confidence interval of the grand averaged signal, in degrees* F = 11.2406;* Value of the F statistic.* F critical = 5.2112;* Critical value of the F statistic that must be exceeded for statistical significance..* F Response? = 1;* Indicates whether the F statistic is significantly greater than the critical value (0=no, 1=yes).* F SNR = 3.2001;* The signal to noise ratio (SNR) used to calculate the F statistic.* MSC = 0.5440;* The value of the magnitude squared coherence (MSC).* MSC critical = 0.4821;* The critical value of the MSC that must be exceeded for statistical significance.* MSC Response? = 1; *Indicates whether MSC is significantly greater than the critical value (0=no, 1=yes).* MSC SNR = 2.7114;* The SNR value of the MSC.* CT2 = 1.0439;* The value of the CT2 statistic.* CT2 critical = 0.8144; *The critical value of the CT2 that must be exceeded for statistical significance..* CT2 Response? = 1; *Indicates whether CT2 is significantly greater than the critical value (0=no, 1=yes).* CT2 SNR = NaN;* Not used.* PC = 0.8872;* Value of the PC statistic.* PC critical = 0.7250; *The critical value of the PC statistic that must be exceeded for statistical significance.* PC Response? = 1; *Indicates whether PC is significantly greater than the critical value (0=no, 1=yes).* PC SNR = NaN;* Not used.* Fsp = 1.2363; *Value of the Fsp statistic.* Fsp critical = 2.5460; *The critical value of the Fsp statistic that must be exceeded for statistical significance.* Fsp Response? = 0; *Indicates whether Fsp is significantly greater than the critical value (0=no, 1=yes).* Fsp SNR = 0.4861; *The SNR value of the Fsp.* Detected? = 1;* Indicates whether the evoked response was detected, based on the statistical test selected.* Amp Measure = Default;* Indicates the manner in which the amplitude is measured. Options include:* * Default (based on the signal transmission type), Peak-peak (equiv), RMS, at Center Freq, at AM Freq, at FM Freq, at 2x Center Freq, at 2x AM Freq, at 2x FM Freq, SEL, Peak-Peak, Peak (equiv)* 3770813645.476781;* Time of the file write in LabVIEW native format (see *.aep file descriptor).* 6/28/2023 9:14:05 AM;* Date and time of file write.* +0.000000E+0 -2.011327E-8;* Time of signal sample relative to start of data collection and voltage of the signal (in V)* +2.000000E-6 -2.075583E-8 +4.000000E-6 -2.045422E-8 ## Access information Other publicly accessible locations of the data: * NA Data was derived from the following sources: * NA, data are original files collected during the course of the study.