Seabed Variability and Its Influence on Acoustic Prediction Uncertainty

Our approach is inherently multi-disciplinary, blending the key disciplines of geology/geophysics (G&G) and acoustics, linked by the field of geoacoustics. For many years, the underwater acoustics community has probed sediment geoacoustics through inverse modeling of acoustic measurements (e.g., propagation, reverberation) or via empirical relations (e.g., Hamilton, 1980) or physics-based models (e.g., Biot, 1962). From the other end, the G&G community has developed its strategies to obtain sediment geoacoustics such as advanced coring, in-situ sampling devices, and modeling (e.g., sediment deposition, transport). These two disciplines, G&G and acoustics, are being merged at the intersection of geoacoustics in order to bring to bear the very best tools of both disciplines and the concomitant synergy upon the problem of Uncertainty. A combination of G&G and acoustics appears to be the best approach to significantly advance the understanding of seafloor variability and its effect on acoustic predictions.