Join us for our next American Cetacean Society speaker series on 31 January 2012. This talk will be held at Sumner Auditorium/Scripps Institution of Oceanography at 7:00 p.m.

Our esteemed speaker will be:

Dr. Ted W. Cranford
Department of Biology
San Diego State University

The topic:

Using Rocket Science, Finite Element Modeling, and High-speed Video Endoscopy to Understand Odontocete Biosonar

The potential deleterious effects of high-intensity sound on living marine resources has become a controversial topic over the last decade, with at least one court case reaching the United States Supreme Court. Investigating acoustic physiology in large whales is problematic. We have developed a technique to produce finite element models of whale heads. These models allow us to simulate what happens when the anatomy of the whale interacts with sound energy, producing unexpected discoveries and a new paradigm for whale hearing. Simulations revealed “new” pathways for sound propagation into and out of toothed whale heads. Computer models are valuable because they provide a means to simulate bioacoustic physiology across a broad range of sizes and species. In addition, virtual experiments can help determine the potential for physical damage from exposure to high-intensity sound and provide a means for evaluating mitigation efforts. Assessing the veracity of our models, a process known as validation, was accomplished using fiber optics endoscopes to peer into the dolphin sound generation apparatus during biosonar.

Directions to Sumner Auditorium

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FROM THE SOUTH:

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These talks are free and open to the public!

Dr. Cranford's impressive biography is below -- you DO NOT want to miss this talk!!!

Current Appointment:

Adjunct Professor of Research
Department of Biology
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182

(1997-present)

Academic Background

Professional Recognition

• Keynote Address (2011) - Ecomorphology and Echo-morphology in Toothed Whales. Sixth Triennial Conference on Secondary Adaptation of Tetrapods to Life in Water, San Diego, California.
• Excellence in Science Communication Award (2009) – Knocking on the door of the inner ear in Cuvier’s Beaked Whale. Proceedings of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
• Symposium Organizer (2004) - Application of Advanced Imaging Technologies to Vertebrate Morphology, 7th International Conference on Vertebrate Morphology, Boca Raton, Florida.
• Conference Organizing Committee (2004) – Society for Marine Mammalogy, 16th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, San Diego, California.
• Chairman, Education Committee (2002-2004) – Society for Marine Mammalogy.
• Invited Speaker (2004) – Marine Mammal Commission Advisory Committee on Acoustic Impacts on Marine Mammals, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Keynote Address (2003) – European Cetacean Society Conference, Las Palmas, Canary Islands
• Keynote Address (2001) – Symposium on Bio-sonar and Bioacoustics, Loughborough, U.K.
• Invited Paper (1998) - Fourth Biological Sonar Conference, Carvoeiro, Portugal.
• National Research Council Fellowship (1992) - at the Naval Research and Development Laboratory, Kailua, Hawaii.
• Plenary Paper (1991) - Society for Marine Mammalogy, Ninth Biennial Conference, Chicago, Ill.
• Invited Paper (1990) - European Association for Aquatic Mammals, Liperswill, Switzerland.
• Fred Fairfield Memorial Award for Innovative Marine Mammal Research (1989) - Society for Marine Mammalogy, Eighth Biennial Conference, Carmel, Calif.
• Supercomputer Center Summer Inst. Banquet Keynote Speech (1988) - San Diego, Calif.
• Supercomputer Center Summer Institute Scholarship (1987) - “Modeling sound propagation in the delphinid forehead using a Cray X-MP/48 supercomputer,” San Diego, Calif.
• Invited Paper (1986) - Second International Symposium on Vertebrate Morphology, University of Vienna, Austria.
• Invited Paper (1986) - NATO Advanced Study Institute, Third Animal Sonar Systems Symposium, Helsingor, Denmark.
• Outstanding Paper Award (1985) - Society for Marine Mammalogy, Sixth Biennial Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
• Outstanding Paper Award (1985) - Western Society of Naturalists Monterey, Calif.
• University of California Regents Scholarship (1983).
• Graduated with Honors in Biology at UC Santa Cruz (1982).

Refereed Publications

Cranford, T.W., W.R. Elsberry, W.G. Van Bonn, J.A. Jeffress, M.S. Chaplin, D.J. Blackwood, D.A. Carder, T. Kamolnick, M. Todd, S.H. Ridgway (2011). Observation and analysis of sonar signal generation in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): Evidence for two sonar sources. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 407(1): 81-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2011.07.010

Cranford T.W. (2011). Biosonar sources in odontocetes: considering structure and function. J. Exp. Biol. 214:1403-1404.

McKenna, M.F., T.W. Cranford, A. Berta, N.D. Pyenson, (2011). Morphological diversity of the odontocete melon and its implications for acoustic function. Mar. Mam. Sci. 27. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00526.x.

Cranford, T.W., M. Amundin, P. Krysl (2010). A New Acoustic portal into the Odontocete Ear and Vibrational Analysis of the Tympanoperiotic Complex. PLOS ONE, 5: e11927.

Cranford T.W., P. Krysl, J.A. Hildebrand. (2008). Acoustic pathways revealed: simulated sound transmission and reception in Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) using the vibro-acoustic toolkit. Bioinsp. Biomim. 3 (016001): 1-10.

Cranford T.W., M.F. McKenna, M. Soldevilla, S.M. Wiggins, R.E. Shadwick, J.A. Goldbogen, P. Krysl, St. J.A. Leger, J.A. Hildebrand. (2008). Anatomic Geometry of Sound Transmission and Reception in Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris). Anat. Rec. 291 (4): 353-378.

Krysl P., T.W. Cranford, J.A. Hildebrand. (2007). Lagrangian Finite Element Treatment of Transient Vibration/Acoustics of Biosolids Immersed in Fluids. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering.

McKenna M.F., J.A. Goldbogen, J.A. St. Leger, J.A. Hildebrand, T.W. Cranford, (2007). “Evaluation of Postmortem Changes in Tissue Structure in the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)”. Anat. Rec. 290 (8), 1023-1032.

Krysl P., T.W. Cranford, S.M. Wiggins, J.A. Hildebrand, (2006). “Simulating the effect of high-intensity sound on cetaceans: Modeling approach and a case study for Cuvier’s Beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris)”. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120 (4): 2328-2339.

Au W.W.L., R.A. Kastelein, K.J. Benoit-Bird, T.W. Cranford, M.F. McKenna, (2006). “Acoustic radiation from the heads of echolocating porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)”. J. Exp. Biol. 209: 2726-2733.

Rommel, S.A., A.M. Costidis, A.J.F. Fernandez, P.D. Jepson, D.A. Pabst, W.A. McLellan, D.S. Houser, T.W. Cranford, A.L. van Helden, D.M. Allen, and N.B. Barros. (2006). “Elements of beaked whale anatomy and diving physiology, and some hypothetical causes of sonar-related stranding”. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.

Cox T.M., T.J. Ragen, A.J. Read, E. Vos, R.W. Baird, K. Balcomb, J. Barlow, J. Caldwell, T. Cranford, L. Crum, et al. (2006). “Understanding the Impacts of Anthropogenic Sound on Beaked Whales”. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.

Soldevilla, M.S., M.F. McKenna, , S.M. Wiggins, R.E. Shadwick, T.W. Cranford, and J.A. Hildebrand (2005). “Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) head tissues: physical properties and CT imaging.” J. Exp. Biol. 208:2319-2332.

Cranford, T. W. and M. E. Amundin. (2003). “Biosonar Pulse Production in Odontocetes: The State of Our Knowledge.” In Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins (eds. J. A. Thomas, C. F. Moss and M. Vater). Pp. 27-35, Chicago : The University of Chicago Press.

Goodson, D. A., J. A. Flint, and T. W. Cranford. (2003). “The Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Modeling the sonar transmission mechanism.” In Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins (eds. J. A. Thomas, C. F. Moss and M. Vater). Pp. 64-71, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Cranford, T.W., (2000) “In Search of Impulse Sound Sources in Odontocetes.” In Hearing by Whales and Dolphins (Springer Handbook of Auditory Research series), W.W.L. Au, A.N. Popper and R.R. Fay, Eds. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 109-156.

Cranford, T.W., (1999) “The Sperm Whale’s Nose: Sexual Selection on a Grand Scale?” Marine Mammal Science, 15(4): 1133-1157.

Cranford, T.W., M.E. Amundin, K.S. Norris, (1996) “Functional morphology and homology in the odontocete nasal complex: implications for sound generation.” Journal of Morphology. 228(3): 223-285.

Aroyan, J.L., T.W. Cranford, J. Kent, and K.S. Norris, (1992) “Computer modeling of acoustic beam formation in Delphinus delphis.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 92(5): 2539-2545.

Amundin, M.E. and T.W. Cranford, (1990) “The forehead anatomy of Phocoena phocoena and Cephalorhynchus commersoni - 3-dimensional computer generated reconstructions with special emphasis on the nasal diverticula.” In Sensory Abilities of Cetaceans: Laboratory and Field Evidence, J.A. Thomas and R.A. Kastelein, Eds. Plenum Publishing Co. New York, 1-18.

Cranford, T.W., (1988) “Anatomy of acoustic structures in the spinner dolphin forehead as shown by x-ray computed tomography and computer graphics.” In Animal Sonar: Processes and Performance, P.E. Nachtigall and P.W.B. Moore, Eds. Plenum Publishing Co., New York, pp. 67-77.

Key Research Innovations

1. First to use CT & MR scanning to reconstruct 3-D anatomy in toothed whales.
2. Discovered anatomic site of odontocete sound production and sound reception.
3. First to combine fiber-optics endoscopy and high-speed videography to study process of sound generation in odontocetes.
4. First to combine high-speed video endoscopy with pressure catheters in the nasal passages to uncover the mechanism of sound production.
5. Discovered bilateral sound generators in odontocetes.
6. First to combine CT scan data with computational techniques to simulate sound propagation in odontocetes (in collaboration with Aroyan).
7. First to use industrial CT scanners to study large whale anatomy.
8. First to section, scan, and digitally reconstruct the entire body of a large whale.
9. First to combine CT scans with finite element modeling tools to simulate sound propagation in a whale head (in collaboration with P. Krysl).
10. First to CT scan heads of a finback whale, Cuvier’s beaked whale, Baird’s beaked whale, a killer whale.