Tuning a combustive sound source to meet experimental needs

Abstract

The Combustive Sound Source (CSS) is a versatile underwater sound source used in underwater acoustics experiments. The source is comprised of a submersible combustion chamber, which is filled with a combustive gas mixture that is spark ignited. Upon ignition, the combustive mixture is converted into high temperature combustion byproducts, which expand and ultimately collapse to smaller volume than before ignition. Acoustic pulses are radiated by the bubble activity. The CSS can be used as a source for array calibration, propagation measurements, bottom characterizations, and sea floor seismic testing. Current environmental regulations and varying experimental needs require a tunable source that allows users to easily alter the source level, bandwidth, center frequency, and signal duration. Present efforts have focused on designing and testing a variety of devices that alter the resultant bubble activity to tune the radiated signals to meet various experimental needs. A new combustion chamber and gas exit ...