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Seabed characterization using ambient sound for a range-dependent track in the New England Mud Patcha)
Martin Siderius1, Stan Dosso2, Brian Granger3
1Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA.
Ocean ambient sound reveals seabed properties in the New England Mud Patch. This passive acoustic method characterized sediment layers and geoacoustic properties along a 1.7 km track.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Acoustics
- Geophysics
Background:
- Ocean ambient sound offers a non-invasive method for seabed characterization.
- Previous studies have utilized acoustic data, but advanced geoacoustic inversion is less common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize seabed properties using wind-generated ocean ambient sound.
- To investigate the range dependence of geoacoustic parameters in the New England Mud Patch.
Main Methods:
- A 15-m vertical hydrophone array collected ambient sound data (50-5000 Hz).
- Beamforming techniques (400-700 Hz) and passive fathometer processing were applied.
- Trans-dimensional geoacoustic inversion utilized power reflection coefficients.
Main Results:
- Seabed layering structure exhibited slight range dependence.
- Estimated geoacoustic properties (sound speed, density, attenuation) were consistent but showed variability.
- Passive acoustic methods successfully mapped seabed characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Wind-generated ocean ambient sound is effective for seabed characterization.
- Geoacoustic inversion reveals subtle variations in sediment properties.
- The New England Mud Patch shows spatially variable seabed characteristics.
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