Applications Modeling--Status and Trends

Numerical models support surveillance/tactical sonar requirements for acoustic information. Selection of models is based on their physics, runtime, and ability to interface with the required environmental inputs in the form of data bases. To effectively interface, a system known as the Environmental Acoustic Interactive Data System (EAIDS) is under development. EAIDS uses color graphics to show data, provides for editing, and interfaces to models selected from another system, the NORDA Acoustic Modeling Operating System (NAMOS). NAMOS interactively produces a batch job runstream on models to predict propagation loss, ambient noise, and array beamformer output. Characteristics of these research application models are detailed, as are their functions in the underwater acoustics community. Status and trends are identified. Finally, future needs in environmental data base and acoustic model development are presented including data base standardization, fluctuations, modeling, and confidence limit determination.