Mode Colouration in Shallow-Water Ambient Noise,

Abstract

The spectrum of ambient noise observed in the shallow waters of the Bristol Channel shows a series of characteristic peaks, e.g. at 10, 28, 47 Hz etc. Up to six peaks have been seen, the frequency of each varying inversely with the water depth as the latter changes through the tidal cycle. Each peak corresponds to the cut-off frequency of one of the normal modes of sound propagation, since at this frequency there are ideally no losses due to coupling into either longitudinal or shear waves in the rock bottom. It is shown that information may be deduced on rock seismic velocity, sediment depth and the presence of gas at the sea-bed. The significance is discussed for theories of ambient noise, microseisms and acoustic transmission. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0720591

Entities

People

  • D. E. Weston

Organizations

  • Admiralty Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ambient Noise
  • Couplings
  • Doppler Effect
  • Fluids
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Shift
  • Gases
  • Microseisms
  • Noise
  • Secondary Waves
  • Sediments
  • Seismic Velocity
  • Shallow Water
  • Water
  • Waves

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Seismology