Environmental Sensitivity Studies with an Interfaced Ocean - Acoustics System

Abstract

An examination of environmental sensitivities of acoustic propagation loss predictions is performed using a coupled system of ocean and acoustic models. Three-dimensional time series of environmental fields are obtained from output of the Harvard Open Ocean Model and are interfaced with acoustic propagation models FOR3D and IFD. Sensitivity of the propagation loss to ocean model horizontal and vertical resolution is investigated, along with sensitivity to methodology for determining sound speed fields from the dynamical forecast model. Resolution recommendations and research issues are formulated based on preliminary propagation loss comparisons for acoustic frequencies up to 100 Hz and ranges up to 200 km.