Characterizing large public spaces at an aquarium

Aquariums often have a few large and busy public areas attached to aquatic habitats, with the sound levels in the rooms possibly affecting the sound levels in the tanks. In this project, we wanted to characterize these large public rooms at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. Specifically, we did room characterization measurements in the viewing area and tunnel by the shark tank. Sound level meters and microphones recorded white noise and chirps. The data have been analyzed, and sound pressure levels, impulse responses, and reverberation times are presented. These results are compared to prior characterization of similar public spaces. The characterization of these public spaces is tied to a larger study regarding sound transmission into the shark tank. Preliminary results from the hydrophone recordings are shown to complement the room characterization efforts. [Undergraduate research assistance provided by the College of Computing, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences at Brigham Young University.]