An Experimental Determination of the Reflection Coefficient of a Crude Oil/Sea Ice Interface for Sound in the Kilohertz Range

Author

William T. Davis, University of Rhode Island

Date of Award

1982

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Ocean Engineering

Department

Ocean Engineering

First Advisor

Lester R. LeBlanc

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted to measure the acoustic properties of a hypothetical oilspill under arctic ice at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Artificial sea ice vas frozen from 35 0/00 sea water, Oil vas then injected beneathe it, and a transducer was placed in the oil with its principal axis normal to the plane of the ice. Signal strength from a single reflected pulse and transition time were measured as the transducer was moved, in steps, closer to the ice. The attenuations and sound velocity were obtained using dt/dx and dP/dx relationships. The reflection coefficients of the oil/ice interface were then calculated using the measured attenuations and the sound velocity. The sound velocity was determined to be 446.4 m/sec. The attenuations were -1.49, -2.51, and -3.08 nepers/m for 50, 100, and 200 kHz respectively, and the corresponding reflection coefficients were 0.079, 0.029, and 0.023.

Recommended Citation

Davis, William T., "An Experimental Determination of the Reflection Coefficient of a Crude Oil/Sea Ice Interface for Sound in the Kilohertz Range" (1982). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 2106.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/2106