Measurements of mid-frequency transmission loss in shallow waters off the East Sea: Comparison with Rayleigh reflection model and high-frequency bottom loss model

When sound waves propagate over long distances in shallow water, measured transmission loss is greater than predicted one using underwater acoustic model with the Rayleigh reflection model due to inhomogeneity of the bottom. Accordingly, the US Navy predicts sound wave propagation by applying the empirical formula-based High Frequency Bottom Loss (HFBL) model. In this study, the measurement and analysis of transmission loss was conducted using mid-frequency (2.3 kHz, 3 kHz) in the shallow water of the East Sea in summer. BELLHOP eigenray tracing output shows that only sound waves with lower grazing angle than the critical angle propagate long distances for several kilometers or more, and the difference between the predicted transmission loss based on the Rayleigh reflection model and the measured transmission loss tend to increase along the propagation range. By comparing the Rayleigh reflection model and the HFBL model at the high grazing angle region, the bottom province, the input value of the HFBL model, is estimated and BELLHOP transmission loss with HFBL model is compared to measured transmission loss. As a result, it agrees well with the measurements of transmission loss.