A Terminology Standard for Underwater Acoustics and the Benefits of International Standardization

Applications of underwater acoustics include sonar, communication, geophysical imaging, acoustical oceanography, and bioacoustics. Specialists typically work with little interdisciplinary interaction, the terminology they employ has evolved separately in each discipline, to point that transdisciplinary misunderstandings are common. Furthermore, increasing societal concern about possible detrimental effects noise on aquatic animals led national international regulators require monitoring noise, a consequent need for harmonization terminology. By adopting common language, we facilitate effective communication concepts information acoustics, whether research, technology, or regulation. In words William H. Taft, “Don't write so you can be understood, can't misunderstood.” Clear definitions widely used terms needed, such as those characterization sound fields (e.g., “soundscape” “ambient noise”), sources (“source level” “source waveform”), propagation (“transmission loss” “propagation loss”), reception (“hearing threshold” “frequency weighting function”). Terms synonymously one application have different meanings another (examples “hearing versus “detection “transmission loss”). Distinct these many other acoustic provided standard published April 2017 by International Organization Standardization, ISO 18405. This article summarizes 18405 process definitions, including reasons omitting some terms.