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How loud is a seismic airgun?

216–260dB re 1 µPa1 m (source level, back-calculated)

A single seismic airgun can produce source levels of 216 to 232 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m, depending on its size, according to DOSITS. Arrays of airguns tuned to fire together have been calculated at 260 dB re 1 µPa at their point of origin, which Guinness World Records lists as the loudest industrial ocean noise.

Level
216–260 dB re 1 µPadecibels relative to 1 micropascal, measured in water
Distance
1 m1 m (source level, back-calculated)
Daily limit
Underwater levelnot an air level

What the numbers mean

How it was measured. Underwater level in dB re 1 µPa. Underwater decibels are not comparable with in-air decibels: see "underwater-vs-air". Single airguns: up to 216 dB (0.16 litre) and up to 232 dB (32.8 litre) at 1 m, per DOSITS. Tuned arrays: 260 dB re 1 µPa calculated at the point of origin, per Guinness World Records.

Seismic surveys map the rock under the seabed by firing compressed air into the water and recording the echoes. The sudden bubble makes a loud sound that penetrates the sea floor. DOSITS says a small airgun releasing 0.16 litres of air can reach 216 underwater dB at 1 m, while a large one releasing 32.8 litres can reach 232 dB.

Surveys use arrays of many guns, tuned so their pulses merge into one much louder burst. Guinness World Records lists these as the loudest industrial source of human-made ocean noise, with a calculated 260 dB re 1 µPa at the point of origin. A figure like that is a notional source level for the whole array, not a level that exists at any one point in the water.

Effects on marine life are studied closely. DOSITS reports that airgun noise has been shown to change whale calling behaviour, and that a harbour porpoise showed a temporary hearing threshold shift after exposure to airgun shots.

Is it dangerous?

Measured in water against a 1 µPa reference, so the number cannot be compared directly with levels in air. See the underwater note on the Scroll. Marine-mammal and diver exposure criteria use their own metrics and are outside the scope of this page.

Protecting your hearing

Divers and swimmers should stay well clear of active seismic survey areas; operators run exclusion zones and soft starts for marine mammals.

Questions

How loud are seismic airguns?

Single airguns reach 216 to 232 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m; full arrays are calculated at about 260 dB re 1 µPa at the source.

Are airguns louder than a sperm whale?

A full array's calculated 260 dB re 1 µPa exceeds a sperm whale's 236 dB, though both are notional source levels at 1 m.

Sources

  1. Seismic airguns, DOSITS, University of Rhode Island (Wayback Machine copy). Supports: dB_low: 216 dB at 1 m.A small airgun that releases 0.16 Liters of air can create source amplitudes up to 216 underwater dB at 1 meterChecked 2026-11-02.
  2. Seismic airguns, DOSITS, University of Rhode Island (Wayback Machine copy). Supports: 232 dB at 1 m.A large airgun that releases 32.8 Liters of air can have a source level of up to 232 underwater dB at 1 meterChecked 2026-11-02.
  3. Loudest industrial ocean noise pollution, Guinness World Records. Supports: dB_high: 260 dB re 1 µPa (arrays, calculated).The volume of these blasts has been calculated to be 260 dB (re 1 μPa) at its point of originChecked 2026-11-02.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.