USW area analogs

• Main Author: Everett, Keith R.
• Other Authors: Reeder, D. Benjamin
• Format: Others
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Subjects: Submarine geology; Marine geophysics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/2157

The purpose of this project is to investigate the feasibility of and methodology for the development of a set of environmental analogs of operational Undersea Warfare (USW) areas within fleet training areas. It is primarily a discussion of the identification of parameters that characterize the tactical USW environment, prioritization of these parameters, identification of existing databases that contain these parameters and an outline of the processes required to extract the desired data from the databases. An example of two operational areas with probable analogous training areas is discussed in terms of the methodology proposed. Among the environmental parameters considered are: bathymetry, sediment type, sound velocity profiles, acoustic response of the environment across a broad frequency spectrum (for both active and passive sonar), ambient noise, shipping density, bioluminescent properties, evaporation duct height, atmospheric surface duct height and gravitational anomalies. The project focus is primarily on acoustic oceanographic features but non-acoustic and atmospheric features are considered. There is an expectation that this project is the starting point for further research, software product development, data extraction, analog identification and promulgation of a tailored product to the fleet. The ultimate goal is to train for USW across the fleet in areas as much like the areas the Navy fights in as possible.