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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Author Spotlight: A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging

Published on: June 16, 2023

Mid-frequency acoustic localization of breaking waves.

Ryan Saenger¹, Luc Lenain¹, William S Hodgkiss¹

¹Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

|October 24, 2023

Summary

Researchers linked underwater sound patterns to visible breaking waves using a hydrophone array and aerial imaging. This study enhances understanding of ocean acoustics and wave dynamics.

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Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations

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Published on: August 21, 2018

Area of Science:

Ocean acoustics
Wave dynamics
Marine hydrodynamics

Background:

Underwater ambient noise is influenced by surface wave activity.
Previous studies have not directly correlated acoustic data with visual observations of breaking waves.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between underwater acoustic signals and surface breaking wave events.
To determine if acoustic projections can identify locations of breaking waves.

Main Methods:

Deployment of a mid-frequency vertical planar hydrophone array in deep water.
Simultaneous aerial imaging of the sea surface using a high-resolution video camera.
Synchronization of acoustic data (5–6 kHz) with visual data to map acoustic intensity to wave events.

Main Results:

Concentrated areas of high acoustic intensity were observed in the projected sound beams.
These acoustic hotspots spatially and temporally correlated with visible breaking wave events captured in aerial images.
Despite limitations in array resolution, the study successfully linked acoustic signatures to physical wave phenomena.

Conclusions:

Underwater ambient noise patterns can be indicative of surface breaking wave activity.
Acoustic monitoring, combined with imaging, offers a method for detecting and localizing breaking waves.
This research contributes to understanding the acoustic impact of ocean surface processes.