The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking

The prediction of masking in marine mammals is most commonly based on the power spectrum model of masking and the concept of equal power of signal and noise at the detection threshold, within the auditory filter centred at the peak of the signal. While this model works well for narrow-band signals e...

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Main Author: Erbe, Christine
Format: Journal Article
Published: EUROPEAN ASSOC AQUATIC MAMMALS 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36793
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author Erbe, Christine
author_facet Erbe, Christine
author_sort Erbe, Christine
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The prediction of masking in marine mammals is most commonly based on the power spectrum model of masking and the concept of equal power of signal and noise at the detection threshold, within the auditory filter centred at the peak of the signal. While this model works well for narrow-band signals embedded in broadband noise, it fails in many realistic listening scenarios. In this paper, a visualisation tool, called a maskogram, is presented that illustrates the extent of the zone of masking around a noise source and with which the effects of various parameters and anti-mask­ing mechanisms can be examined. A series of maskograms is presented based on behavioural experiments with a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) for which the signal was a recorded beluga call and the noise was recorded from an icebreaker. Certain masking release mecha­nisms, such as comodulation masking release, within-valley listening, and multiple looks, likely occurred during the behavioural experiments and are indirectly included in the data feeding into the maskograms. The effects of a spatial release from masking are illustrated based on data from other species, signals, and noise. Studies with realistic signals and noise are needed to show the limita­tions of the existing models, to determine mask­ing in real-world situations, to better understand masking release mechanisms, and to ultimately improve models of masking.
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format Journal Article
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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last_indexed 2025-11-14T08:47:15Z
publishDate 2015
publisher EUROPEAN ASSOC AQUATIC MAMMALS
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-367932017-10-02T02:28:10Z The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking Erbe, Christine The prediction of masking in marine mammals is most commonly based on the power spectrum model of masking and the concept of equal power of signal and noise at the detection threshold, within the auditory filter centred at the peak of the signal. While this model works well for narrow-band signals embedded in broadband noise, it fails in many realistic listening scenarios. In this paper, a visualisation tool, called a maskogram, is presented that illustrates the extent of the zone of masking around a noise source and with which the effects of various parameters and anti-mask­ing mechanisms can be examined. A series of maskograms is presented based on behavioural experiments with a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) for which the signal was a recorded beluga call and the noise was recorded from an icebreaker. Certain masking release mecha­nisms, such as comodulation masking release, within-valley listening, and multiple looks, likely occurred during the behavioural experiments and are indirectly included in the data feeding into the maskograms. The effects of a spatial release from masking are illustrated based on data from other species, signals, and noise. Studies with realistic signals and noise are needed to show the limita­tions of the existing models, to determine mask­ing in real-world situations, to better understand masking release mechanisms, and to ultimately improve models of masking. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36793 10.1578/AM.41.4.2015.434 EUROPEAN ASSOC AQUATIC MAMMALS restricted
spellingShingle Erbe, Christine
The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title_full The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title_fullStr The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title_full_unstemmed The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title_short The Maskogram: A Tool to Illustrate Zones of Masking
title_sort maskogram: a tool to illustrate zones of masking
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36793