In this book, key discoveries in the field of statistical ocean acoustics over the last 35 years are addressed with illustrations from ocean observations.

The ocean is opaque to electromagnetic radiation and transparent to low frequency sound, so acoustical methodologies are an important tool for sensing the undersea world. Stochastic sound-speed fluctuations in the ocean, such as those caused by internal waves, result in a progressive randomisation of acoustic signals as they traverse the ocean environment. This signal randomisation imposes a limit to the effectiveness of ocean acoustic remote sensing, navigation and communication. Sound Propagation through the Stochastic Ocean provides a comprehensive treatment of developments in the field of statistical ocean acoustics over the last 35 years. This will be of fundamental interest to oceanographers, marine biologists, geophysicists, engineers, applied mathematicians, and physicists. Key discoveries in topics such as internal waves, ray chaos, Feynman path integrals, and mode transport theory are addressed with illustrations from ocean observations. The topics are presented at an approachable level for advanced students and seasoned researchers alike.

The continents of our planet have already been exploited to a great extent. Therefore man is turning his sight to the vast spaciousness of the ocean whose resources - mineral, biological, energetic, and others - are just beginning to be used. The ocean is being intensively studied. Our notions about the dynam ics of ocean waters and their role in forming the Earth's climate as well as about the structure of the ocean bottom have substantially changed during the last two decades. An outstanding part in this accelerated exploration of the ocean is played by ocean acoustics. Only sound waves can propagate in water over large distances. Practically all kinds of telemetry, communication, location, and re mote sensing of water masses and the ocean bottom use sound waves. Propa gating over thousands of kilometers in the ocean, they bring information on earthquakes, eruptions of volcanoes, and distant storms. Projects using acoustical tomography systems for exploration of the ocean are presently be ing developed. Each of these systems will allow us to determine the three-di mensional structure of water masses in regions as large as millions of square kilometers.

Introduces Systematic Formulations for Use in Acoustic ApplicationsAcoustics in Moving Inhomogeneous Media, Second Edition offers a uniquely complete and rigorous study of sound propagation and scattering in moving media with deterministic and random inhomogeneities. This study is of great importance in many fields including atmospheric and oceanic

For the 119 species of marine mammals, as well as for some other aquatic animals, sound is the primary means of learning about the environment and of communicating, navigating, and foraging. The possibility that human-generated noise could harm marine mammals or significantly interfere with their normal activities is an issue of increasing concern. Noise and its potential impacts have been regulated since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Public awareness of the issue escalated in 1990s when researchers began using high-intensity sound to measure ocean climate changes. More recently, the stranding of beaked whales in proximity to Navy sonar use has again put the issue in the spotlight. Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals reviews sources of noise in the ocean environment, what is known of the responses of marine mammals to acoustic disturbance, and what models exist for describing ocean noise and marine mammal responses. Recommendations are made for future data gathering efforts, studies of marine mammal behavior and physiology, and modeling efforts necessary to determine what the long- and short-term impacts of ocean noise on marine mammals.

Fifteen years ago NATO organised a conference entitled 'Ocean Acoustic Modelling'. Many of its participants were again present at this variability workshop. One such participant. in concluding his 1975 paper, quoted the following from a 1972 literature survey: ' ... history presents a sad lack of communications between acousticians and oceanographers' Have we done any better in the last 15 years? We believe so, but only moderately. There is still a massive underdeveloped potential for acousticians and oceanographers to make significant progress together. Currently, the two camps talk together insufficiently even to avoid simple misun derstandings. such as those in Table 1. Table 1 Ocsanographic and acoustic jargon (from an idea by Pol/ardi Jargon Oceanographic use Acoustic use dbordB decibar (depth in m) decibel (energy level) PE primitive equations parabolic equations convergence zone converging currents converging rays (downwelling water) (high energy density) front thermohaline front wave, ray or time front speed water current speed sound propagation speed 1 The list goes on.