Abstract:
Predictions of active sonar performance at subkilohertz and a few kilohertz in shallow water are examined for a measured environment. The sound-speed profiles are derived from XBT and CTD data obtained during the acoustic characterization test (ACT) III in 100 m of water. Transmission loss, reverberation level and signal excess for a generic sonar system are calculated for several realistic geophysical bottom descriptions and water mass regions in the ACT III area. The sensitivity of acoustic predictions to spatial environmental variations are quantified and implications about space sampling strategies are discussed. The relative importance of changes in bottom properties to changes in water mass sound speeds are highlighted. [Work supported by NRL.]