Acoustic Temperature Profiler Development

The purpose of Phase I of this project is to determine the feasibility of developing an acoustic instrument for measuring temperature and other scalar profiles remotely through the absorption signature on the backscattered echo strength. The primary Phase I objectives are to develop short-term and long-term error models for both phase-slope and two-frequency implementation methods, determine optimum parameters for a two or multiple-frequency method instrument to cover a 300 m temperature profiling range, and field-test the phase scope method with available Broadband Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) hardware in salt and fresh water to empirically investigate BroadBand ADCP contributions to phase slope and see whether the theoretical short-term and long-term accuracy can be achieved. A specification for a prototype instrument to be designed, fabricated and evaluated in Phase II will be developed.