Classification of Deep Sea Sound Speed Profiles in the Northwest Pacific Based on Cluster Analysis

Abstract

Sound speed profile in ocean has significant seasonal and sea area distribution characteristics. Different sound speed profiles have different effects on underwater acoustic propagation, which makes the detection performance of sonar have significant differences. In order to study the distribution characteristics of sound speed profile in the Northwest Pacific, using WOA13 data set, calculate the number of types by application hierarchical clustering method, using cluster fuzzy c-means method classify sound speed profile, calculate the distribution area of various types in different seasons and typical sound speed profile structure. It is concluded that there are 6 types of sound speed profiles in Northwest pacific: Subarctic category, subarctic transitional category, subtropical transitional category, subtropical category, tropical transitional category and equatorial tropical category. The distribution area of these categories is generally zonal distribution. Except for the tropical transitional category and equatorial tropical category, the other categories have significant seasonal changes.