Deep Ocean Sound Propagation in Environments with Strong Range Dependence

摘要

Our long-term scientific goal is to understand the basic physics of low-frequency long-range sound propagation in the ocean and the effects of environmental variability on signal stability and coherence. We seek to understand the fundamental limits to signal processing imposed by ocean variability to enable advanced signal processing techniques, including matched field processing and other adaptive array processing methods. The principal objectives of this work are: (1) to further develop the theory of underwater sound propagation in realistic deep ocean environments with an emphasis on mode coupling in environments with strong range-dependence; (2) to investigate the importance of resonant forward scattering of sound in deep ocean environments resulting from interactions with either mesoscale structure or internal tides; and (3) to test theoretical predictions using measurements made during the NPAL Philippine Sea Experiment, including both the 2009 Pilot Study/Engineering test and the larger 2010-2011 Philippine Sea Experiment.