Long-Range Sound Propagation Across Atlantic Ocean Seamounts: Implications for Ambient Noise.

Abstract

A low frequency (50-800 Hz) sound-propagation experiment was conducted along a 1400-km path running eastward from Bermuda toward the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. SUS charges were detonated at depths of 18, 154, 615, and 1230 m. The receiver was located at the axis of the deep sound channel (125 m) at a maximum range of 1300 km. The acoustic path crossed several seamounts of the Corner Seamount Group. The highest of these peaks rose to the sound axis. This paper presents the relative enhancement of signal level of SOFAR propagation due to these seamounts as a function of source depth and frequency. The enhancement was minimal for the 1230-m shots, while the greatest enhnacement occurred for the 18-m shots at the 50-Hz filter band. This implies these seamounts and other topographic features such as the mid-Atlantic Ridge can significantly increase the coupling of low-frequency ship-generated noise into the deep sound channel. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 12, 1981
Accession Number
ADA102909

Entities

People

  • D. G. Browning
  • P. D. Koenigs
  • R. F. Laplante
  • R. L. Martin

Organizations

  • Naval Underwater Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ambient Noise
  • Angle Of Incidence
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Bottom Loss
  • Couplings
  • Engineering
  • Frequency
  • Geography
  • Grazing Angles
  • Losses
  • Noise
  • Oceans
  • Ridges
  • Standards
  • Topography
  • Undersea Warfare
  • Universities

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Acoustics.
  • Oceanography.