Comparing Kauai Beacon receptions to simulated acoustic propagation

The Kauai Beacon is an ocean acoustic tomography source off the coast of Kauai that began regularly transmitting in March 2023. In this presentation, positive acoustic receptions of the Kauai Beacon are measured by the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) hydrophones and compared to acoustic arrivals simulated with the parabolic equation method for the first 20 months of regular transmissions. Positive receptions of the Kauai Beacon are reported for eight of the eleven OOI hydrophones. The structure of the observed acoustic arrivals over the first 20 months is compared to simulated acoustic arrivals, and the arrival envelope statistics are compared to simulation. The Kauai Beacon stands to serve as a source of opportunity for any passive-acoustic monitoring infrastructure within its acoustic paths to measure ocean basin acoustic propagation and infer oceanographic variables such as water temperature. This presentation provides the necessary context to develop future methods to acoustically infer ocean temperature with single hydrophone receptions of the Kauai Beacon. [Work supported by ONR.]