Content Details
Propagation Characteristics of High-Resolution Geophysical Surveys: Acoustic Modeling Effort
- Branch
- Executive
- Category
- Executive Agency Publications
- SuDoc Class Number
- I 72.
- Government Author
- Interior Department, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- Personal Author
- Heaney KD; MB Halvorsen; KD Seger; JK Boyle
- Series Title
- BOEM Environmental Studies
- Publication Title
- Propagation Characteristics of High-Resolution Geophysical Surveys: Acoustic Modeling Effort
- Date Issued
- 2026
- Subject
- Anthropogenic Properties
Marine Mammals
high-resolution geophysical survey systems; HRG sound sources; sound exposure level; sound pressure level; SEL; SPL; rms; received level; boomer; sparker; airgun; chirp; multibeam; echosounder; underwater noise; side-scan sonar; subbottom profiling; seafloor mapping; hydrographic survey; propagation
- Obligation Number
- 140M0119C0012
- Geographic Scope
- National
- Report Number
- BOEM 2021-021
- CSE Reference
- Heaney KD, MB Halvorsen, KD Seger, JK Boyle (CSA Ocean Sciences Inc., Stuart, Florida). 2026. Propagation characteristics of high-resolution geophysical surveys: acoustic modeling effort. Sterling (VA): U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 3 p. Report No.: OCS Study BOEM 2021-021. Contract No.: 140M0119C0012. URL: https://espis.boem.gov/technical%20summaries/BOEM_2021-021.pdf
- Abstract
- Marine geophysical data is critical for industry and BOEM to make informed leasing decisions. High-frequency marine acoustic sources are commonly used to acquire this data for infrastructure siting, geological or environmental characterization, and shallow hazard or archaeological cultural surveys. The acoustic sources currently in use include boomers; sparkers; subbottom (chirp or other) profilers; side-scan sonar; and single, swath, and multi-beam bathymetric fathometers. This report is the third of related reports designed to characterize and predict the sound fields of these sources in shallow water. The first report, BOEM 2016-044, detailed the source measurement of 17 sources by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, Rhode Island, at their facilities and in controlled environments. The second report, BOEM 2018-052, detailed the at-sea measurement of those same sources (plus several hull-mounted sonars) in the shallow water (10-, 30-, and 100-m deep) off Virginia and Maryland. This report recommends an acoustic modeling approach for sources in other shallow water areas and conditions.