Acoustic propagation in the Strait of Georgia

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of Ocean Observing Systems (OOS) along with a wide distribution of their associated data products. The collected data support scientific research, industry, and government organizations by providing long term measurements of biological, chemical, and physical properties of the ocean environment. However, the collection and distribution of underwater acoustic data poses a potential security risk for naval vessels operating in the vicinity of OOS. The Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges (CFMETR) provide an underwater tracking facility for naval tests, and are approximately 50 km from hydrophones of the Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS) observatory. Under an existing CFMETR-VENUS agreement, data are diverted during certain naval tests. In order to minimize the frequency of these data diversions, a study is being conducted to investigate acoustic propagation in the Strait of Georgia. The results of acoustic modeling and measurement of transmission loss from CFMETR to VENUS will be presented. A software application called CAVEAT is also presented. The application was developed to integrate the transmission loss results along with other sonar parameters to enable operators at CFMETR to determine the risk of acoustic exposure.