Almost 70% of the oceans are yet to be discovered because this particular ecosystem is the vastest, most of which can't be reached yet. This is why surveys are carried on using several techniques for studying multiple factors like the positioning of different elements, ocean floor study, sea depths, habitats, and more.
Out of all the probable techniques used is acoustic releases oceanography. Here, sound waves and vibrations are used to identify the positions, landforms, etc. In this article, we have talked about how the acoustic studies are carried on, the list of equipment used, the purpose of the reports, etc.
What is acoustics?
Acoustics is often related to sound when it travels in vibrations through media. Sound can travel through water at a lower speed, allowing proper reflection and loss of energy. Besides, as these waves travel further from the source, they become more extensive in the waveform, thereby scanning more areas simultaneously. Since a long time back, acoustic releases and other equipment have been used to position things at varied depths from sea level.
In acoustical oceanography, three main factors need to be considered. These are properties of the sound waves required for calculations.
- Amplitude: this represents the displacement of the wave from its mean positions as the molecules of the medium oscillate in a to and fro motion. The higher the energy, the more is the amplitude and faster the sound wave travels.
- Frequency: this is represented by the number of sound waves passing through a particular point in one second. It is characterized by Hertz and is usually considered for understanding the behavior of the medium.
- Wavelength: the wavelength between two consecutive rarefactions and compressions created by the traveling sound waves. It is the wavelength used to calculate the distance according to the velocity and frequency.
How is acoustics beneficial for oceanography?
There are several reasons why acoustics is used to study oceans and other related aspects. That's why in this below section, we have talked about how acoustics study is far better than optical study.
- The price of the acoustic elements like the acoustic doppler current profiler, sonars, see side scanners, echo scanners, and others are pretty affordable.
- Also, the sound waves can travel easily through the water, and once they hit any block, the waves are reflected into the same medium.
- Calculations involving acoustics are more accessible and much more accurate.
- Acoustics can be used to determine currents, locations of marine creatures, shipwrecks, and so on.
What types of equipment units are used for acoustic oceanography?
Usually, most marine rental equipment units are based on the acoustic principle since it is easier to process and the inferred results are almost accurate. Besides, several marine creatures can communicate with sound waves, improving overall accuracy.
Below discussed are some of the acoustic instruments used in the oceanography study.
- Sonars
- Doppler profiles
- See scans
- Echo reflectors
Apart from these, some other equipment units that use sound waves as direct detection techniques are also used. However, they are reinforced with several different technologies like GPS, optical detector, motion sensors, and more.
Conclusion
Over the years, acoustics oceanography has witnessed a lot of improvements which is why most results are accurate and to the point. Besides, light can change its behavior according to the change in the water composition, which makes it difficult to process the studies. But it is not the case with sound, and hence, engineers and other professionals don't have to face so many problems at once.
