Ocean-Acoustic Solitary Wave Studies and Predictions

Shallow water internal solitary waves have become a major topic ofinterest to oceanographers and acousticians. In this paper we reviewthe cross-disciplinary status of joint ocean-acoustic solitary wavestudies and predictions. We consider the process of acoustical modecoupling in the presence of solitary waves and the correspondingacoustical intensity loss due to increased coupling with the bottom. Astudy of the interaction of an acoustical field with a train ofsolitary waves is undertaken at a range of frequencies. At a resonantfrequency the acoustic field can interact with the solitary wavepacket which results in mode conversions (acoustic energy isredistributed among the modes, often from lower-order to higher-ordermodes). Higher signal losses can occur in the higher order modesthrough increased bottom attenuation and result in an anomalousacoustical intensity loss at the resonant frequency. We present some new results of joint ocean-acoustic research, from adedicated study in the Strait of Messina, where solitary waves aregenerated by semidiurnal tidal flow over topographic variations. TheUniversity of Hamburg weakly nonhydrostatic two layer model is used forsimulating the generation and propagation of solitary waves. In particular, the physicalstates encountered during an October 1995 cruise in the Strait of Messina (betweenItaly and Sicily) are simulated. Various parameter space sensitivity studies, about theexisting cruise conditions, are performed. The modelled solitary wave trains arecompared against conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) chain measurements interms of amplitudes, wavelengths, phase speeds and correlations with data. Predictedand observed sound speeds are used in acoustical intensity calculations thatare conducted with a parabolic equation (PE) model. The differences in theresultant acoustical intensity fields provide a guide for the tuning of theoceanographic model parameters. The tuned oceanographic model showsagreement with data for the first and second solitary waves in terms ofamplitude, wavelength and phase speed. The calculated available potentialenergy from the simulation results is in the range of the data analogue.