A reflected energy prediction model for long-range hydroacoustic reflection in the oceans

Area of Science:

• Oceanography
• Acoustics
• Geophysics

Background:

• Underwater acoustic energy, from seismic events or explosions, travels far with minimal loss in deep oceans.
• Sound waves scatter off features like seamounts and continental margins, enabling long-distance propagation.
• Hydrophones detect these scattered signals hours after direct arrivals, indicating complex acoustic paths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the Reflected Energy Prediction (REP) model for forecasting acoustic reflections.
• To enable comparison of predicted waveforms with recorded hydroacoustic data.
• To demonstrate initial model calibration using real-world data.

Main Methods:

• The REP model utilizes detailed underwater environmental data.
• It incorporates components from the Hydroacoustic Coverage Assessment Model (HydroCAM).
• The model predicts the ocean's impulse response, convolved with source functions for waveform prediction.

Main Results:

• The paper presents the REP model and its applications.
• Model predictions were tested using data from Atlantic and Indian Ocean earthquakes and explosions.
• Initial steps toward model calibration were illustrated.

Conclusions:

• The REP model provides a method for predicting reflected acoustic arrivals in the ocean.
• The model's utility is shown through applications with seismic and explosion data.
• Further calibration is needed for refined predictions of underwater sound propagation.