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Updated: May 14, 2026

Quantitatively Measuring In situ Flows using a Self-Contained Underwater Velocimetry Apparatus (SCUVA)
Published on: October 31, 2011
Mapping the sound field of an erupting submarine volcano using an acoustic glider
Haru Matsumoto1, Joseph H Haxel, Robert P Dziak
1Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies, Oregon State University, 2115 SE OSU Dr, Newport, Oregon 9736-5258, USA. haru.matsumoto@oregonstate.edu
Abstract:
An underwater glider with an acoustic data logger flew toward a recently discovered erupting submarine volcano in the northern Lau basin. With the volcano providing a wide-band sound source, recordings from the two-day survey produced a two-dimensional sound level map spanning 1 km (depth) × 40 km(distance). The observed sound field shows depth- and range-dependence, with the first-order spatial pattern being consistent with the predictions of a range-dependent propagation model. The results allow constraining the acoustic source level of the volcanic activity and suggest that the glider provides an effective platform for monitoring natural and anthropogenic ocean sounds.
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