Why do scientists plan to transmit waves through the Pacific Ocean?

A team of scientists recently began a project to measure the effects of loud noises on sea animals. If the sounds don’ t harm the animals, then the researchers can go ahead with a plan to transmit sound waves through the Pacific Ocean to take earth’ s temperature. Sound travels faster through warm water than cold water. By analyzing the speed of sound through the ocean over time, the scientists will be able to determine if our planet is warming up. The experiment was nearly cancelled more than a year ago because environmental groups fear that the sound will confuse or harm sea animals. So, scientists are conducting test on the animals first. The researchers lowered a loud speaker that emits low frequency sound about 1,000 meters beneath the ocean. Scientists at the site transmit sound waves into the ocean. Radio transmitters attached to some of the sea animals help the researchers keep track of the animals’ movements. If sea animals are distressed by the sounds, they would swim away from the speaker. So far, there aren’ t any signs that the animals are being harmed.  Researchers at the site noticed that large numbers of sea animals swim near the speaker whether it was turned on or off, but it is still too soon to know for sure, the scientists admit. The test will continue through September. "If all goes well," they say, "we can begin measuring temperature changes on our planet."