Journal of Vibration and Sound

Journal of Vibration and Sound

Development of an Algorithm for Measuring Vertical Profile of Sound Speed in Water Bodies using Acoustic Tomography Technology

Document Type : research article

Authors
1 Department of Energy, Institute of Science and High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran
2 Department of Irrigation & Reclamation Engineering, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3 Asia Havadarya Knowledge Development Company, Tehran, Iran
4 Water Research Institute, Ministry of Energy, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In this study, an algorithm for estimation vertical sound velocity profiles in water bodies based on acoustic tomography technology has been developed. Field measurements at the Letyan Dam have been used to demonstrate the performance of this algorithm. The algorithm for generating continuous sound velocity profiles in water bodies depth was developed based on ray tracing methods and inverse problem solving based on the adjusted Tikhonov method. Acoustic tomography data were collected in the Letyan Dam reservoir for approximately 24 hours and sound velocity was calculated in 5 separate vertical layers with a thickness of 7 meters. For accuracy assessment, the difference in sound velocity using acoustic tomography is examined by CTD data, with the lowest difference observed in the bottom layer of the reservoir (0.88 m/s) and the highest difference observed in the layered level (6.41 m/s). The results showed that the acoustic tomography technology, using the developed algorithm, is capable of estimation of the speed of sound at depth in deep water areas with acceptable accuracy for operational applications in acoustics.
Keywords
Subjects


Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 29 June 2026