Data Analysis of Processing Infrasound Emissions from Maritime Vessels

Infrasonic signatures are long wave acoustic signals in the under 20 Hz range (below human hearing). The partner organization has been experimenting with infrasonic sensor systems to achieve 2 key outcomes: a) detection clear air turbulence to benefit commercial air travel and b) detection of marine vessels.
The ability to detect clear air turbulence from the host aircraft in real time offers a savings to the airline industry (between $500M and $1B per year) in lost time accidents and costly fly arounds for suspected turbulence. “Climate modelling studies have indicated that the amount of moderate-or-greater clear-air turbulence on transatlantic flight routes in winter will increase significantly in future as the climate changes.” (1). The partner organization has 2 major projects in progress with commercial partners and is currently collecting data from both, commercial jet trials as well as ground based marine vessel traffic using their own array.
Each of these campaigns is creating a deluge of datasets that require leading edge analysis from the intern to understand the relationships between the infrasonic source and the sensor location, be they stationary and/or airborne.

Faculty Supervisor:

Zhao Pan

Student:

Partner:

Stratodynamics Aviation Inc.

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: