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Influence of lee waves on ocean acoustic simulations near Atlantis II Seamount
Matthew McKinley1, Daoxun Sun2, Brian O'Donnell3
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
Abstract:
The effects of topographically generated lee waves on acoustic propagation near the Atlantis II seamount in the New England Seamount area are investigated using the Coastal and Regional Ocean Community model. Submesoscale permitting ocean circulation simulations were conducted to model the formation and characteristics of lee waves, analyze their hydrographic impact on sound speed profiles, and assess their influence on sonic layer acoustic duct (SLAD) propagation. Lee waves significantly alter sound speed profiles, affecting the deep sound channel and the sonic layer depth. These alterations lead to notable variations in acoustic propagation, blocking energy from the SLAD at locations where lee waves lift the sonic layer depth and have effects in the low to mid-frequency range (1000-2000 Hz). The influence of the temporal variability of the lee waves on the resulting sound speed profile and SLAD fluctuations is illustrated. Finally, 3D ray-tracing simulations highlight substantial spatial variability in transmission loss depending on the relative orientation of the acoustic source and the wavefronts of the lee waves. Overall, these results indicate the utility of high-resolution ocean models for investigating the generation of lee waves and the resulting spatial and temporal modulations of the ocean sound speed field affecting underwater acoustic propagation.
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