Measurements of ambient noise “hot spots” along the ice edge in the Greenland Sea Marginal Ice Zone

Abstract

During July 1987, an experiment was conducted to measure ambient noise along the ice edge in the Greenland Sea. Ambient noise “hot spots,” concentrated areas of relatively high noise levels, were located along the ice edge using a towed array. Ambient noise levels were then recorded using sonobuoys deployed from P3 aircraft. The sonobuoy data were averaged in time to obtain the noise spectra below 2 kHz. The temperature structure of the area was determined by XBT and AXBT buoys and the ice edge location was determined from coincident satellite photos, 90-Ghz microwave imagery, and P3 radar ice edge maps. The relationship between the environmental and acoustic data suggests the existence of hot spots which are (1) primarily related to wind and sea state and (2) primarily related to ice edge compaction by eddy flow.