Spatial variability of the ambient noise field associated with the Marginal Ice Zone and its relationship to environmental parameters

• Main Author: Biggs, Kristian Pedersen
• Other Authors: Bourke, Robert H., Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), Engineering Acoustics, Medwin, Herman
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: Ambient noise; marginal ice zone; eddies; hot spots; Greenland Sea; Greenland; East Greenland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10945/23402

During the month of July 1987 an acoustical experiment was conducted by the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in the East Greenland Sea Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) . Ambient noise "hot spots" or concentrated areas of relatively high noise levels were found along the ice edge using a towed array. Ambient noise levels were obtained on 27 and 28 July using AN/SSQ-57A and AN/SSQ-57XN5 calibrated sonobuoys . The temperature structure of the area was determined using XBT (ship) and AXBT (P3C aircraft) buoys placed inside and outside the ice edge. The ice edge was determined from coincident satellite photos, 90 GHz microwave imagery and P3 radar ice edge maps. Weather data (sea state and wind speed and direction) were recorded on the ship. The data seem to indicate a correlation between the high ambient noise levels of the hot spots and the presence of a large topographically controlled mesoscale eddy located at the southeastern extent of the MIZ. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Lieutenant, United States Navy http://archive.org/details/spatialvariabili1094523402