Abstract
The deep ocean sound channel is used to obtain very long range (typically >2,000 km) acoustic transmission1 via totally refracted propagation paths (SOFAR propagation2). Such experiments can therefore determine the acoustic transmission properties of large areas of ocean3. Those acoustic propagation experiments can be used to locate major ocanographic changes4 and to identify specific water masses5. A 10,000-km underwater sound transmission experiment conducted between New Zealand and Peru to obtain an acoustic cross-section of the South Pacific Ocean is described here. Three distinct regions of transmission loss were found. The highest attenuation, which is attributed to Antarctic intermediate water, occurred in the central South Pacific Ocean.
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Browning, D., Bannister, R., Denham, R. et al. Project Kiwi One: an acoustic cross-section of the South Pacific Ocean. Nature 282, 820–822 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/282820a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/282820a0
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