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Basic Physics of Underwater Acoustics

1) Sound travels as pressure waves through water at approximately 1500 m/s. The speed of sound in water is determined by the density and bulk modulus of water and is independent of frequency or pressure. 2) As a sound wave propagates through water, the pressure level and particle velocity decrease with distance due to spherical spreading and absorption losses in water. 3) Piezo-electric transducers can be used to transmit and receive underwater sound, converting between mechanical and electrical energy. However, the displacements involved are on the nanometer scale, requiring amplification for effective use.

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Dr. Ir. R. Didin Kusdian, MT.
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83 views

Basic Physics of Underwater Acoustics

1) Sound travels as pressure waves through water at approximately 1500 m/s. The speed of sound in water is determined by the density and bulk modulus of water and is independent of frequency or pressure. 2) As a sound wave propagates through water, the pressure level and particle velocity decrease with distance due to spherical spreading and absorption losses in water. 3) Piezo-electric transducers can be used to transmit and receive underwater sound, converting between mechanical and electrical energy. However, the displacements involved are on the nanometer scale, requiring amplification for effective use.

Uploaded by

Dr. Ir. R. Didin Kusdian, MT.
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Physics of Underwater

Acoustics

Reference used in this lecture: Lurton, X. 2002. An introduction to


underwater acoustics. New York: Springer.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Definitions

p: pressure, measured relative to hydrostatic, Pa


U: density, measured relative to hydrostatic, kg/m3

E: bulk modulus of the fluid, Pa, Gp = E [ GU U@


[u,v,w]: deflections in [x,y,z]-directions, relative to
the hydrostatic condition, m
+x
Then in one
Gx undeformed

dimension (pipe)
deformed

p = E [ -Gu / Gx ]

u + Gu
u
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017
One-dimensional Case cont.

Newton’s Law: p + Gp
p
Gp = - U utt Gx OR
Gx
px = - U utt diff wrt x

Constitutive Law:

pxx = [ U/ E ] ptt


p = - E Gu / Gx OR
a wave equation!
p = - E ux diff wrt tt

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Let p(x,t) = Po sin(Zt – kx)

spac
e
time
Insert this in the wave equation:

- Po k2 sin( ) = - [ U / E ] Po Z2 sin( ) Æ

[ Z / k ]2 = E / UÆ

Wave speed c Zk = [ E U@

This is sound speed in water, independent of

pressure, or frequency.
U ~ 1000 kg/m3, E ~ 2.3e9 N/m2 Æ c ~ 1500 m/s

Wavelength O Sk = ScZ c/f1kHz : 1.5m


Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017
In Three Dimensions: A CUBE

Newton’s Law:
undeformed
px = - U utt Æ pxx = - U u
ttx
deformed

py = - U vtt Æ pyy = - U vtty


Gz

pz = - U wtt Æ pzz = - U w
ttz Gy
Gx
Constitutive Law:
Lead to Helmholtz Equation:
- E ux = p / 3 Æ - E uttx = ptt / 3
p +p +p = p / c 2
- E vy = p / 3 Æ - E vtty = ptt / 3
xx yy zz tt

or n 2p = p / c2
- E wz = p / 3 Æ - E wttz = ptt / 3
tt
All directions deform uniformly where n2 is the LaPlacian

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


operator
Particle Velocity

Consider one dimension again (Newton’s Law):

px = -U utt Æ px = -U (ut)t

If p(x,t) = Po sin(Zt - kx) and ut(x,t) = Uto sin(Zt - kx) Æ

-kPo cos( ) = -UZ Uto cos( ) Æ Uto = Po / U c

Note velocity is in phase with pressure!


>Uc]: characteristic impedance;
water: Uc ~ 1.5e6 Rayleighs “hard”
air: Uc ~ 500 Rayleighs “soft”
In three dimensions:
Up = -U Vt where

np = px i + py j + pz k and
V = ut i + vt j + wt k
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017
Note equivalence of the following:
O = c / f and Z/ k = c
There is no dispersion relation here; this is the only
relationship between Z and k!

Consider Average Power through a 1D surface:

P(x) = [ 1 / T ] V T p(Wx) ut(Wx) dW

 [ 1 / T ] V T Po Uto sin2(ZW - kx ) dW

 Po Uto 


 Po  Uc = Uto2 Uc / 2
 Acoustic Intensity in W/m2
Power per unit area is
pressure times velocity

 If impedance Uc is high, then it takes little power to


create a given pressure level; but it takes a lot of power
to create a given velocity level
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017
Spreading in Three-Space

At time t1, perturbation is at radius r1; at time t2, radius r2 Æ


P(r1) = Po2(r1) / 2 Uc
P(r2) = Po2(r2) / 2 U c r2

Assuming no losses in water; then r

P(r2) = P(r1) r12 / r22 = Po2 (r1) r12 / 2 U c r22 r1


and

Po(r2) = Po(r1) r1 / r2

Let r1 = 1 meter (standard!) Æ


P(r) = Po2(1m) / 2 U c r
2
Po(r) = Po(1m) / r
Pressure level and particle velocity
Uto(r) = Po(1m) / U c r decrease linearly with range

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Decibels (dB)

10 * log10 (ratio of two positive scalars):

Example:
x1 = 31.6 ; x2 = 1 Æ 1.5 orders of magnitude difference

10*log10(x1/x2) = 15dB

10*log10(x2/x1) = -15dB

RECALL log(x12/x22) = log(x1/x2) + log(x1/x2) = 2 log(x1/x2)

In acoustics, acoustic intensity (power) is referenced to 1 W/m2 ;


pressure is referenced to 1 PPa

10*log10[ P(r) / 1 W/m2 ] = 10*log10 [ [ Po2(r) / 2 U c] / 1 W/m2 ]


= 20*log10 [ Po(r) ] – 10*log10(2Uc)
= 20*log10 [ Po(r) / 1PPa ] – 120 - 65

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Spreading Losses with Range

Pressure level in dB at range r is

20 log10 [ Po(r) / 1PPa ] - 185 =

20 log10 [ Po(1m) / r / 1PPa ] - 185 =

20 log10 [ Po(1m) / 1PPa ] – 20 log10 [r] -185

Example: At 100m range, we have lost


40dB or four orders of magnitude in sound intensity
40dB or two orders of magnitude in pressure
(and particle velocity)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Attenuation Losses with Range

Acoustic power does have losses with transmission distance – primarily


related to relaxation of boric acid and magnesium sulfate molecules in
seawater. Also bubbles, etc.
D, in dB/km
1000

At 100 Hz, ~1dB/1000km:

OK for thousands of km,


100
d el
ocean-scale seismics and
o
2)m
communications 10
n ! 98
io 1
at n (
1
oxim rriso
At 10kHz, ~1dB/km:

ppr Ga
OK for ~1-10km,
0.1 ara s&
in e coi
long-baseline acoustics L an
0.01 Fr
At 1MHz, 3dB/10m: 0.001 kHz
OK for ~10-100m, 0.1 1 10 100 1000
imaging sonars, Doppler

velocity loggers
(pressure
TL = 20log10 r + D r transmission loss)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017
The Piezo-Electric Actuator

E 't
strain = constant X electric field

H=dXE or

't / t = d X ( V / t )
t

where d = 40-750 x 10-12 m / V Æ

Drive at 100V, we get only 4-75 nm thickness change!

V+

Series connection

amplifies
displacement

**still capable of MHz performance**

V-

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


The Piezo-Electric Sensor

electric field = constant X stress


E=gXV or
V=tgV
where g = 15-30 x 10-3 V/mN

Ideal Actuator: Assume the water does not

impede the driven motion of the material

Ideal Sensor: Assume the sensor does not deform


in response to the water pressure waves

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017


Typical Transducer:
120 to 150 dB re 1PPa, 1m, 1V means
106 – 107.5 PPa at 1m for each Volt applied or
1-30 Pa at 1m for each Volt applied

Typical Hydrophone:
-220 to -190 dB re 1PPa, 1V means
10-11 to 10-9.5 V for each PPa incident or
10-5 to 10-3.5 V for each Pa incident

So considering a transducer with 16Pa at 1m per Volt, and


a hydrophone with 10-4 V per Pa:
If V = 200V, we generate 3200Pa at 1m, or 3.2Pa at 1km,
assuming spreading losses only;
The hydrophone signal at this pressure level will be

0.00032V or 320PV !

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2.017

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