MIT Lincoln Lab studies Arctic under‑ice sounds with upgraded geophone sensors

Researchers from MIT Lincoln Laboratory have documented an unprecedented “under‑ice orchestra” of natural and anthropogenic sounds in the Arctic Ocean, using commercial off‑the‑shelf sensors deployed during the U.S. Navy’s Operation Ice Camp (OIC). The initial deployment in 2024 integrated a suite of low‑cost vibration detectors that captured the crackle of sea‑ice fracturing, the whistles of beluga whales, and the low‑frequency hum of nearby shipping‑vessel engines. Analysis of the collected data revealed a complex acoustic landscape, highlighting how both environmental processes and human activity contribute to the region’s soundscape.

In March 2026, the MIT team returned to the Arctic for OIC 2026 with an upgraded, higher‑fidelity geophone designed to more precisely detect vibrations within the sea ice. The new sensor confirmed earlier findings and provided finer resolution of ice‑crack events and marine mammal vocalizations, while also isolating the acoustic signatures of increased vessel traffic. The research offers a baseline for monitoring changes in Arctic acoustic environments and may inform future studies on ecosystem health and the impact of expanding maritime operations in polar waters.