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SanctSound Sound Propagation Models

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: May 05, 2026 at 08:53 PM | Dataset Last Updated: March 15, 2022 at 12:00 AM
The map shows the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculated as the difference between predicted received level (RL) at the hydrophone and the wind-induced noise level (WN). The RL field is calculated as the difference between an assumed sound source level and transmission loss (TL), which is modeled using a Navy version of the range-dependent parabolic equations acoustic propagation model (1) and US Navy and NOAA environmental databases: High-Resolution ¼ degree Global Sea Surface Wind Speed and Climatology (NOAA); Bottom Sediment Type (Navy) BST database and Global Ocean Sediment Thickness Dataset (NOAA). Geoacoustic parameters are extracted from published sources (2). Range-dependent sound speed profiles along an acoustic propagation path are calculated from temperature and salinity climatological monthly means of the US Navy Generalized Digital Environmental Model (GDEM). The ocean bathymetry is based on the NAVOCEANO Digital Bathymetric Data Base, which has been merged with higher-resolution local bathymetry wherever available. The model runs along 360 radials to generate a pseudo-2D TL field within a predefined range from a single-frequency sound source fixed in space. Following the reciprocity principle, the TL field is interpreted as the transmission loss from moving sound sources within the predefined range from the fixed-position hydrophone (3). To estimate WN, the wind-induced noise spectrum level (NSL) at the sound source frequency is calculated from the 10 m wind speed monthly climatology using a Navy version of the Wenz curve. NSL is then converted to WN as a 1/3-octave band level centered at the sound source frequency. (1) Collins M.D., A split-step Padé solution for the parabolic equation method, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 93, 1736 (1993); doi: 10.1121/1.406739. (2) Colosi, J.A., Sound Propagation through the Stochastic Ocean, Cambridge University Press, NY, 2016. (3) Margolina, T., Joseph, J.E., and B. L. Southall, "BRS Sound Exposure Modeling Tool: A system for planning, visualization and analysis" OCEANS 2018 MTS/IEEE Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA, 2018, pp. 1-4. doi: 10.1109/OCEANS.2018.8604911

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Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Acoustics Earth Science > Oceans > Marine Environment Monitoring Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Acoustics > Ambient Noise Earth Science > Biosphere > Aquatic Ecosystems Earth Science > Biosphere > Aquatic Ecosystems > Marine Habitat Ocean > Pacific Ocean > Eastern Pacific Ocean Ocean > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean Ocean > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description The map shows the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculated as the difference between predicted received level (RL) at the hydrophone and the wind-induced noise level (WN). The RL field is calculated as the difference between an assumed sound source level and transmission loss (TL), which is modeled using a Navy version of the range-dependent parabolic equations acoustic propagation model (1) and US Navy and NOAA environmental databases: High-Resolution ¼ degree Global Sea Surface Wind Speed and Climatology (NOAA); Bottom Sediment Type (Navy) BST database and Global Ocean Sediment Thickness Dataset (NOAA). Geoacoustic parameters are extracted from published sources (2). Range-dependent sound speed profiles along an acoustic propagation path are calculated from temperature and salinity climatological monthly means of the US Navy Generalized Digital Environmental Model (GDEM). The ocean bathymetry is based on the NAVOCEANO Digital Bathymetric Data Base, which has been merged with higher-resolution local bathymetry wherever available. The model runs along 360 radials to generate a pseudo-2D TL field within a predefined range from a single-frequency sound source fixed in space. Following the reciprocity principle, the TL field is interpreted as the transmission loss from moving sound sources within the predefined range from the fixed-position hydrophone (3). To estimate WN, the wind-induced noise spectrum level (NSL) at the sound source frequency is calculated from the 10 m wind speed monthly climatology using a Navy version of the Wenz curve. NSL is then converted to WN as a 1/3-octave band level centered at the sound source frequency. (1) Collins M.D., A split-step Padé solution for the parabolic equation method, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 93, 1736 (1993); doi: 10.1121/1.406739. (2) Colosi, J.A., Sound Propagation through the Stochastic Ocean, Cambridge University Press, NY, 2016. (3) Margolina, T., Joseph, J.E., and B. L. Southall, "BRS Sound Exposure Modeling Tool: A system for planning, visualization and analysis" OCEANS 2018 MTS/IEEE Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA, 2018, pp. 1-4. doi: 10.1109/OCEANS.2018.8604911
distribution 
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  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Passive Acoustic Data Site",
    "accessURL": "https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/pad/",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "NCEI site providing more information on the passive acoustic data archive.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
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    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Passive acoustic Data Map Viewer",
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    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Interactive map viewer to allow discovery and access to passive acoustic data",
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    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Sound Monitoring",
    "accessURL": "https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/monitoring/sound/",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "NOAA and the U.S. Navy are working to better understand underwater sound within the National Marine Sanctuary System. For the next few years, these agencies will work with numerous scientific partners to study sound within seven national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument, which includes waters off Hawai'i and the east and west coasts. Standardized acoustic measurements are used to assess sounds produced by marine animals, physical processes (e.g., wind and waves), and human activities. Collectively, this information will help NOAA and the Navy measure sound levels and baseline acoustic conditions in sanctuaries. This work is a continuation of ongoing Navy and NOAA monitoring and research, including efforts by the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.",
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    "accessURL": "https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/find-data/idn/gcmd-keywords",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords.",
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identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC/MGG/passive_acoustic/iso/xml/NOAA-Navy-SanctSound_Sound_Propagation_Models.xml
isPartOf NOAA-Navy Sanctuary Soundscape Monitoring Project (SanctSound)
issued 2022-03-15T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Acoustics",
  "Earth Science > Oceans > Marine Environment Monitoring",
  "Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Acoustics > Ambient Noise",
  "Earth Science > Biosphere > Aquatic Ecosystems",
  "Earth Science > Biosphere > Aquatic Ecosystems > Marine Habitat",
  "Ocean > Pacific Ocean > Eastern Pacific Ocean",
  "Ocean > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean",
  "Ocean > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands",
  "Vertical Location > Water Column",
  "Models/Analyses > OBSERVATION BASED",
  "SanctSound > NOAA-Navy Sanctuary Soundscape Monitoring Project",
  "DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "Naval Postgraduate School",
  "DOD/USNAVY > U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Defense",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NMS > National Marine Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce"
]
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2022-03-15T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/monitoring/sound/"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial -70.178607,20.807567,-159.58653,48.4905
title SanctSound Sound Propagation Models

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