The purpose of this project is to investigate the feasibility of and methodology for the development of a set of environmental analogs of operational Undersea Warfare (USW) areas within fleet training areas. It is primarily a discussion of the identification of parameters that characterize the tactical USW environment, prioritization of these parameters, identification of existing databases that contain these parameters and an outline of the processes required to extract the desired data from the databases. An example of two operational areas with probable analogous training areas is discussed in terms of the methodology proposed. Among the environmental parameters considered are: bathymetry, sediment type, sound velocity profiles, acoustic response of the environment across a broad frequency spectrum (for both active and passive sonar), ambient noise, shipping density, bioluminescent properties, evaporation duct height, atmospheric surface duct height and gravitational anomalies. The project focus is primarily on acoustic oceanographic features but non-acoustic and atmospheric features are considered. There is an expectation that this project is the starting point for further research, software product development, data extraction, analog identification and promulgation of a tailored product to the fleet. The ultimate goal is to train for USW across the fleet in areas as much like the areas the Navy fights in as possible.

No description available.

Graduation date: 1974

In April of 1974, Oregon State University conducted a geophysical survey of the Orozco fracture zone, a Left-lateral transform fault which offsets the East Pacific Rise off the coast of Mexico near 15°N, 105°W. Magnetic, gravity, bathymetric, and seismic reflection data were collected during a four day period. This survey is combined with previous surveys by Oregon State University and other institutions to provide a geophysical interpretation of the Orozco fracture zone and the surrounding area and to develop a tectonic history of the northern Cocos plate. The Orozco fracture zone is characterized by a typical zone of seismicity and an offset in the magnetic anomaly pattern. There is, however, a conspicuous absence of a well defined topographic trough. This appears to be a result of the small age offset of the ridge crest, a reorientation of the fracture zone trend, and a possible southward migration of the fracture zone down the ridge axis. Three crustal and subcrustal cross sections over the Orozco fracture zone are constructed from the gravity data. One, across the active portion between the ridge offset, shows the active troughs to be underlain by a broad, low-density root extending two kilometers into the mantle. Two gravity cross sections across the East Pacific Rise show a thinning of oceanic layer 3 of nearly 2 kilometers at the rise crest and a corresponding 0.5 kilometer thickening of layer 2. A large magnetic anomaly of over 1300 gammas is found at the intersection of the Orozco fracture zone and the East Pacific Rise. A comparison with a very similar observation at the intersection of the Juan de Fuca ridge and the Blanco fracture zone in the northeast Pacific suggests that the East Pacific Rise is "leaking" into the fracture zone in this area. Many features have been observed on the northern Cocos plate which cannot be accounted for by present Pacific-Cocos motion the northeast strike of the eastern extension of the Orozco fracture zone, an apparent fanning of magnetic anomalies, and the northeast strike, as well as the origin, of the Tehuantepec ridge. Several possible schemes are examined to explain these observations and all but one are completely eliminated. The proposed explanation supposes a reorientation of the spreading center after a large change in the Pacific- Cocos pole of rotation resulting in the Zed pattern described by Menard and Atwater (1968). / Graduation date: 1976

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-98). / viii, 98 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-159).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1964. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-43).

Thesis--Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Los Angeles, 1981. / Typescript (photocopy). Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S. in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2005. / Thesis Advisor(s): D. Benjamin Reeder, Mary Batteen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-121). Also available online.