echolocation

echolocation
/ek'oh loh kay"sheuhn/, n.
1. the general method of locating objects by determining the time for an echo to return and the direction from which it returns, as by radar or sonar.
2. Zool. the sonarlike system used by dolphins, bats, and other animals to detect and locate objects by emitting usually high-pitched sounds that reflect off the object and return to the animal's ears or other sensory receptors.
[1944; ECHO + LOCATION]

* * *

Physiological process for locating distant or invisible objects (such as prey) by emitting sound waves that are reflected back to the emitter by the objects.

Echolocation is used by an animal to orient itself, avoid obstacles, find food, and interact socially. Most bats employ echolocation, as do most, if not all, toothed whales (but apparently no baleen whales), a few shrews, and two kinds of birds (oilbirds and certain cave swiftlets). Echolocation pulses consist of short bursts of sound at frequencies ranging from about 1,000 Hz in birds to at least 200,000 Hz in whales. Bats use frequencies from about 30,000 to about 120,000 Hz.

* * *

      a physiological process for locating distant or invisible objects (such as prey) by means of sound waves reflected back to the emitter (such as a bat) by the objects. Echolocation is used for orientation, obstacle avoidance, food procurement, and social interactions.

      Echolocation is known to be employed by most bats (all members of the suborder Microchiroptera and one genus, Rousettus, of the Megachiroptera); most, if not all, toothed whales (toothed whale) and porpoises (Odontoceti), but apparently no baleen whales; a few shrews; and two kinds of birds, the oilbird (Steatornis caripensis) of northern South America and certain cave swiftlets (swiftlet) (Collocalia) of Southeast Asia.

      Echolocation pulses consist of short bursts of sound at frequencies ranging from about 1,000 hertz in birds to at least 200,000 hertz in whales. Bats utilize frequencies from about 30,000 to about 120,000 hertz. The pulses are repeated at varying rates (often in a single individual, depending upon the situation) beginning at about one per second. The rate may reach several hundred per second (e.g., in a bat close to its target).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Echolocation — Écholocation Principe de cartographie bathymétrique par écho sondeur L écholocation consiste à envoyer des sons et à écouter leur écho pour localiser et dans une moindre mesure d identifier les éléments désirés. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Écholocation — Principe de cartographie bathymétrique par écho sondeur L écholocation consiste à envoyer des sons et à écouter leur écho pour localiser et dans une moindre mesure d identifier les éléments désirés. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • ÉCHOLOCATION — Mécanisme biologique d’orientation et de guidage comparable au sonar, l’écholocation permet à un animal (chauve souris, marsouin, etc.) de localiser par l’audition tout objet, obstacle ou proie, qui réfléchit les vibrations sonores émises par… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Echolocation — may refer to:* Acoustic location, the general use of sound to locate objects * Animal echolocation, non human animals emitting sound waves and listening to the echo in order to locate objects or navigate * Human echolocation, the use by people of …   Wikipedia

  • echolocation — 1944, from ECHO (Cf. echo) + LOCATION (Cf. location) …   Etymology dictionary

  • echolocation — ► NOUN ▪ the location of objects by reflected sound, in particular as used by animals such as dolphins and bats …   English terms dictionary

  • echolocation — [ek′ō lō kā΄shən] n. the determination, as by a bat, of the position of an object by the emission of sound waves which are reflected back to the sender as echoes echolocate vt., vi. echolocated, echolocating …   English World dictionary

  • echolocation — [[t]e̱koʊloʊke͟ɪʃ(ə)n[/t]] also echo location N UNCOUNT Echolocation is a system used by some animals to determine the position of an object by measuring how long it takes for an echo to return from the object. [TECHNICAL] Most bats navigate by… …   English dictionary

  • Écholocation animale — Écholocation Principe de cartographie bathymétrique par écho sondeur L écholocation consiste à envoyer des sons et à écouter leur écho pour localiser et dans une moindre mesure d identifier les éléments désirés. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Écholocation humaine — L’écholocation humaine est la capacité des humains de détecter des objets dans leur environnement au travers d échos reçus de ces objets. Cette capacité est utilisée par certains aveugles pour se déplacer dans leur environnement. Ils émettent des …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”