Noise characterisation of the Aurora Australis while stationary in Antarctic sea ice

This work investigates the underwater noise propagation of the primary vessel used by the Australian Antarctic Division Aurora Australis while stationary in a configuration and location suitable for under-ice Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) deployment. It outlines a novel method for recording and validating the noise of a vessel using available equipment and standard deployment options. Numerical modelling using the Fast Multipole Boundary Element Method (FMBEM) is combined with the response to a calibrated source to assess the limitations and residual uncertainty of the experiment. The results of this work indicate that there is a 10 dB re 1μPa reduction in mean noise by removal of main engine noise and a low point in ship noise at 3.8 kHz. Two hundred metres depth was found to be a preferred depth for uniformity in the noise field.