Sponsor
The authors would like to express appreciation to Drs. Glen G. Gawarkiewicz and Y. T. Lin and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for their willingness to support Portland State University participation in the 2021 NESBA experiment. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and constructive suggestions, which improved the quality and clarity of this manuscript. This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Task Force Ocean (TFO) Program under Grant N00014-23-1-2070.
Published In
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-31-2025
Subjects
Oceanographic research, Acoustic measurements/effects; In situ oceanic observations; Oceanic profilers -- Sampling, Satellite observations, Ship observations
Abstract
Understanding present and future ocean conditions is essential for the effective planning and execution of a wide range of naval and commercial acoustic operations. The four-dimensional structure of temperature and salinity}from the ocean surface to the seabed}is a critical factor influencing acoustic transmission properties. Modern numerical ocean modeling systems consist of three primary components: ocean observations, a numerical forecasting model, and a data assimilation system. Of the tens of millions of global ocean observations assimilated daily, the majority derive from satellite-based surface measurements. In stark contrast, subsurface water column measurements number only in the thousands per day. This disparity highlights the severe undersampling of the ocean’s water column, raising significant questions about the utility of even high-resolution regional ocean forecasts for acoustic operation planning and execution. This paper presents a quantitative model-based approach for determining the temporal and spatial resolution requirements for ocean observations, using an illustrative barrier search operation as a case study. The analysis reveals that the temporal and spatial resolution of ocean observation data necessary to constrain ocean models effectively}such that they could be used to positively impact acoustic operation planning and execution}far exceeds current capabilities, particularly in challenging signal-to-noise ratio environments. This analysis leverages ocean observation data collected during the Spring 2021 New England Shelf Break Acoustics (NESBA) Signals and Noise Experiment conducted jointly by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Portland State University (PSU).
Rights
Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1175/JTECH-D-25-0021.1
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44229
Publisher
IEEE
Citation Details
Stevens, W. K., & Siderius, M. (2025). Model-Based Assessment of Ocean Monitoring Temporal and Spatial Resolution Requirements for Acoustic Operations. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 42(10), 1327-1347.