And I saw these very regular, commalike patterns on the various displays. To Clark's surprise, listening posts in the Atlantic could detect blue whales as far as 2,000 miles away. From Puerto Rico you could actually hear a blue whale that was off Newfoundland. Further studies have shown that blue whale vocalizations peak in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific in the dead of winter. We're still just scratching the surface.
Scientists know that each dolphin has a signature whistle.
If biologists can recognize individual dolphins by sound, perhaps one day they will discern individual blue whales as well. We're not at that level yet, but we're hoping to get there. Back on the Sproul after a day of chasing whales, Calambokidis and other biologists onboard gather their data. Part of knowing what role sound plays in the biology of blue whales is knowing who is doing the calling. Working with the Sproul 's chief scientist, Erin Oleson, and others from the Scripps Institution, Calambokidis hopes to answer these questions.