Wind dependence of ambient noise in shallow water of Bay of Bengal

Abstract

This work reports on investigations into the wind dependence of ambient noise in the Bay of Bengal. Ambient noise measurements were made in the shallow water of Bay of Bengal using a portable broadband, high frequency data acquisition system together with a sensitive hydrophone suspended from the measuring platform at a depth of 5 m from the surface where the ocean depth was 25 m. Periodic measurements were carried out for one year corresponding to a wind speed range between 2 m/s and 9 m/s during summer, monsoon and winter seasons. The proportionality of the noise level with wind speed for frequencies ranging from 500 Hz to 6 kHz for each season was studied. The analysis reveals that the correlation between the wind speed and the ambient noise spectrum level was higher at lower frequencies. The results of empirical fitting based on analysis were used for noise level prediction and the model predictions compare well with the measured noise level. Further it was observed that the wind generated noise level measured during summer was approximately 8 dB less than that in other seasons. On the other hand the proportionality between the noise level and the wind speed was less during winter.