Environmental Aspects of a North Pacific Acoustic Fixed-Source, Fixed-Receiver Installation.
Abstract
The Office of Naval Research (Code 222) is sponsoring an experimental program in the Northeast Pacific Ocean to investigate long-term variations in propagation loss and traval time between a fixed source and fixed receiver over extremely long paths. This report considers environmental factors which are expected to be important for acoustic modeling and prediction, particular attention being given to mesoscale features, or 'ocean weather.' Existing and planned environmental data sources and formats are reviewed in terms of the requirements. Cost-effectiveness is emphasized. Monthly weeklong shallow XBT (480 m) sampling of the 3835-km Oahu to San Francisco path by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) ship-of-opportunity program is found to serve well as a basis. However, the sampling depth must be increased beyond the sound channel axis at about 800 m, and the spacing of drops should be reduced to about 30 km in the vicinity of sharp temperature and salinity gradients. A program has been implemented to merge the taped historical oceanographic station data file (NAVOCEANO) with synoptic XBT and salinity data (NMFS). Available bathymetric (NORDA) and M sub 2 tidal (NSWC) data banks appear to be quite satisfactory.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA068187
Entities
People
- Morris Schulkin
Organizations
- University of Washington