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Underwater Acoustics Certificate (DL) - Curriculum 125

Brief Overview

The Underwater Acoustics curriculum is available to resident and Distance Learning students. It can be combined with Fundamentals of Engineering Acoustics and SONAR System Applications academic certificate programs for partial fulfillment of requirements for Master of Science in Engineering Acoustics or Master of Engineering Acoustics degrees by Distance Learning students. Students typically take one course per quarter within a four-quarter period (12 months). The Distance Learning classes are usually timed to coincide with resident offerings. The course of studies is designed to improve the student's performance in operational, acquisition, research, engineering, and maintenance positions by providing the students with a firm background in the fundamentals of the science of underwater acoustics and its naval applications.

Requirements for Entry

This curriculum is open to US and allied active duty military, government civilians, and major defense contractors. A baccalaureate degree with mathematics through differential and integral calculus and a calculus-based basic physics sequence are required for direct entry. Courses in the physical sciences and engineering are highly desirable.

Convenes

Fall

Program Length

4 Quarters

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be able to:

  • plot ray paths in layers of isogradient water;
  • estimate transmission loss for simple models such as mixed layer, convergence zone, bottom bounce, reliable acoustic path, and SOFAR channel;
  • use sonobuoy data to calculate the speed, depth, and distance of closest approach of an uncooperative target;
  • determine source levels and beam patterns for sources and arrays;
  • evaluate detected noise levels and reverberation levels for various environmental conditions;
  • calculate the target strength of basic scatterers, including gas bubbles;
  • for given sonar and target characteristics, estimate the range of detection;
  • evaluate and interpret various underwater propagation phenomena;
  • identify the limitations of different numerical prediction algorithms;
  • compute basic solutions to the acoustic wave equation using normal mode and parabolic equation approaches.

Certificate Requirements

1. PH3451 - Fundamental Acoustics (4/2) or PH3991 – Theoretical Physics (4/1) taken as directed study if PH3451 has been taken to fulfill requirements of another academic certificate program

2. PH3452 – Underwater Acoustics (4/2)

3. PH4455 – Sound Propagation in the Ocean (4/0)