Dimitri Ponirakis

Senior Noise Analyst

I am a senior noise analyst and applications programmer for the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics. My main roles are developing tools and methods for noise analysis. I develop tools to process, analyze, model, and visualize acoustic data. Software development includes development of an Acoustic Ecology Toolbox to model the loss of communication space and masking of animal vocalizations from anthropogenic and abiotic sound sources. I am responsible for carrying out noise analysis on numerous projects from liquid natural gas terminal construction and operational activities off the East Coast, to seismic prospecting in the Arctic, to looking at the impact of cruise vessels in Glacier Bay National Park in the Pacific Northwest. Previous experience includes working for noise and vibration consulting firms, and assessing and researching the environmental impact of noise from transportation, industrial, mining, and entertainment sources.

Recent Publications

Barlow, D. R., H. Klinck, D. Ponirakis, T. A. Branch, and L. G. Torres (2023). Environmental conditions and marine heatwaves influence blue whale foraging and reproductive effort. Ecology and Evolution 13:e9770.
Estabrook, B. J., J. T. Tielens, A. Rahaman, D. W. Ponirakis, C. W. Clark, and A. N. Rice (2022). Dynamic spatiotemporal acoustic occurrence of North Atlantic right whales in the offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts Wind Energy Areas. Endangered Species Research 49:115–133.
Miksis-Olds, J. L., P. J. Dugan, S. B. Martin, H. Klinck, D. K. Mellinger, D. A. Mann, D. W. Ponirakis, and O. Boebel (2021). Ocean Sound Analysis Software for Making Ambient Noise Trends Accessible (MANTA). Frontiers in Marine Science 8:1144.
Gabriele, C. M., D. W. Ponirakis, and H. Klinck (2021). Underwater Sound Levels in Glacier Bay During Reduced Vessel Traffic Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Marine Science 8.
Barlow, D. R., H. Klinck, D. Ponirakis, C. Garvey, and L. G. Torres (2021). Temporal and spatial lags between wind, coastal upwelling, and blue whale occurrence. Scientific Reports 11.
Martin, S. B., B. J. Gaudet, H. Klinck, P. J. Dugan, J. L. Miksis-Olds, D. K. Mellinger, D. A. Mann, O. Boebel, C. C. Wilson, D. Ponirakis, and H. Moors-Murphy (2021). Hybrid millidecade spectra: A practical format for exchange of long-term ambient sound data. JASA Express Letters 1.
Klinck, H., D. Winiarski, R. C. Mack, C. T. Tessaglia-Hymes, D. W. Ponirakis, P. J. Dugan, C. Jones, and H. Matsumoto (2020). The Rockhopper: a compact and extensible marine autonomous passive acoustic recording system. Global Oceans 2020: Singapore – U.S. Gulf Coast:1–7.
Wright, D., M. Castellote, C. Berchok, D. Ponirakis, J. Crance, and P. Clapham (2018). Acoustic detection of North Pacific right whales in a high-traffic Aleutian Pass, 2009-2015. Endangered Species Research 37:77–90.
Gabriele, C. M., D. W. Ponirakis, C. W. Clark, J. N. Womble, and P. Vanselow (2018). Underwater acoustic ecology metrics in an Alaska marine protected area reveal marine mammal communication masking and management alternatives. Frontiers in Marine Science 5:270.
Cholewiak, D., C. W. Clark, D. Ponirakis, A. Frankel, L. T. Hatch, D. Risch, J. E. Stanistreet, M. Thompson, E. Vu, and S. M. Van Parijs (2018). Communicating amidst the noise: Modeling the aggregate influence of ambient and vessel noise on baleen whale communication space in a national marine sanctuary. Endangered Species Research 36:59–75.
Estabrook, B., D. Ponirakis, C. Clark, and A. Rice (2016). Widespread spatial and temporal extent of anthropogenic noise across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico shelf ecosystem. Endangered Species Research 30:267–282.
Guerra, M., P. J. Dugan, D. W. Ponirakis, M. Popescu, Y. Shiu, A. N. Rice, and C. W. Clark (2016). High-Resolution Analysis of Seismic Air Gun Impulses and Their Reverberant Field as Contributors to an Acoustic Environment. In The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life II (N. A. Popper and A. Hawkins, Editors). Springer New York, New York, NY, pp. 371–379.
Dimitri Ponirakis
Center K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics
Work607-254-2124
Email dwp22@cornell.edu
Website ResearchGate

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Golden-cheeked Warbler by Bryan Calk/Macaulay Library