Upwelling-driven variation of sound speed profile in a Brazilian bay monitored by a coastal acquisition system

Abstract

Sound speed profiles in the ocean are determined by seawater properties, where horizontal variability of thermal stratification modulates sonar detection distance. This work assesses the impacts of upwelling dynamics on sound speed profile in enclosed coastal areas by means of temperature observations acquired with a low-cost platform in Anjos Cove, Cabo Frio, Brazil. The Integrated Acquisition System for Research in Acoustics (IARA) consists of a customized 10-meter-long chain of smart temperature sensors (±0.1°C accuracy) mounted in an anchored vertical cable and an echo sounder for tide level measurements. From 2021 to 2023 a number of intrusion events of the cold South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) took place along the Cabo Frio continental shelf, some of which were recorded in the inner region of the Anjos Cove by IARA. Sound speed profiles computed by applying TEOS-10 standards indicate that the sound propagation within Anjos Cove varies often, i.e., several orders of magnitude, under the influence of SACW intrusion events. The phenomenon reflects information from deeper waters on a coastal scale, even at small depths.