Alaska North Shore Ocean Acoustics Study

Abstract

The changing Arctic climate has been altering the physical conditions of underwater sound propagation and ambient noise in the regions. In this proposed work, we will study the acoustic variability caused by the following environmental factors: ice cover, halocline sound ducts, shelfbreak circulation, and bathymetric and seabed variations. Both observational and modeling approaches are proposed. To make direction measurements, we propose to deploy four mooring equipped with hydrophone arrays and environmental sensors (temperature, salinity and pressure) for a complete year to observe seasonal variability. The planned time period is summer 2016 to summer 2017. The numerical approach will be utilizing a three-dimensional sound propagation model with elastic properties in the ice and the Regional Ocean Modeling System to setup a regional circulation model. These two acoustic and physical oceanographic models will eventually join together and produce numerical solutions of sound pressure field to compare with field measurements. The potential naval relevance of the proposed work will be to increase the capability of sonar systems in the changing Arctic Ocean.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Aug 12, 2016
Source ID
N000141512196

Entities

People

  • Ying-Tsong Lin

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Oceanography.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies