Computation and Visualisation of Historical Geographical Data for Acoustic Channel Modelling

R.M.Dunbar, L.M.Linnett, Y.Rzhanov, J.Bell

Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburgh, UK

Presented at the second annual conference of GeoComputation ‘97 & SIRC ‘97, University of Otago, New Zealand, 26-29 August 1997

Abstract

The paper describes how historical geographical data in the form of depth soundings have been used to improve the understanding of hydroacoustic signal propagation through a large ducted water channel. The geo-computa-tional elements of the paper fit within the larger frame-work of research into underwater vehicles, subsea com-munications and imaging, carried out by the Ocean Sys-tems Laboratory over the past 25 years. The paper in-cludes a brief review of these activities and of the original hydrographic survey of Loch Ness, carried out around 100 years ago. The method of digitising the original data and the production of 3D static and moving visualisations is then discussed in the context of acoustic channel model-ling, and the paper concludes with an outline of continuing work in relation to simulated test environments.