U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientists developed Ice-tethered Acoustic Buoys to monitor the acoustic and oceanographic environment in the changing Arctic. The buoys provide critical oceanographic data to improve prediction capabilities of ocean and climate models.
These buoys validated the Arctic researchers sound propagation theories and will continue to guide and validate theoretical studies in the Beaufort Sea from March 2020 to March 2021.
“Our job, in real time, does the tomography in the ocean with buoys,” said Altan Turgut, research physicist with NRL. “Every four hours they assimilate data into the ocean models.”
Ocean acoustic tomography is a technique that uses sound waves to image sections of ocean temperature and current.
The buoys are a practical alternative to more traditional acoustic and oceanographic measurements techniques, because they provide real-time monitoring and operational capability. Additionally, they enable under-ice acoustic communication and navigation capability for mobile platforms such as ocean gliders and underwater autonomous vehicles.
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