RECENT ADVANCES IN UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC MODELLING AND SIMULATION

A comprehensive review of international developments in underwater acoustic modelling is used to construct an updated technology baseline containing 107 propagation models, 16 noise models, 17 reverberation models and 25 sonar performance models. This updated technology baseline represents a 30% increase over a previous baseline published in 1996. When executed in higher-level simulations, these models can generate predictive and diagnostic outputs that are useful to acoustical oceanographers or sonar technologists in the analysis of complex systems operating in the undersea environment. Recent modelling developments described in the technical literature suggest two principal areas of application: low-frequency, inverse acoustics in deep water; and high-frequency, bottom-interacting acoustics in coastal regions. Rapid changes in global geopolitics have opened new avenues for collaboration, thereby facilitating the transfer of modelling and simulation technologies among members of the international community. This accelerated technology transfer has created new imperatives for international standards in modelling and simulation architectures. National and international activities to promote interoperability among modelling and simulation efforts in government, industry and academia are reviewed and discussed.