NEW DELHI: Nato scientists are analysing sound waves to improve the West’s capability to detect Russian submarines, as global warming transforms underwater acoustics, in the icy region of Arctic waters.
The lead scientist aboard the Nato research vessel Alliance Gaultier Real told AFP that, “The only reliable source of information is acoustic waves,” in the northern Norwegian town of Tromso, on the eve of an expedition to the Barents Sea.
Convergence point where Atlantic and Arctic meet
The Italian navy operates the oceanographic ship, which is transporting Real’s scientific team to the polar front, the convergence point where the waters of the Atlantic and Arctic meet.
The scientific mission aims to comprehend how climate change, which is warming the Arctic at a faster rate than the rest of the planet, is impacting the propagation of underwater sound waves.
Throughout the three-week mission, the vessel will emit sounds underwater, which its hydrophones, or underwater microphones, will capture. The collected data will then undergo thorough analysis.
Arctic’s delicate ecosystem
The Arctic’s delicate ecosystem is protected by strict regulations. If the team detects any animal sounds, they will immediately stop their work.
“Marine mammals use sound to communicate, so if some animals are here, you’re able to hear them. If you hear them, you stop transmitting,” said Real, a senior acoustic scientist at Nato’s Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in Italy.
Arctic’s soundscape evolving and changing because
To measure the water’s temperature, salinity, and pressure, which influence the speed of sound through water, oceanographic instruments will be submerged.
Real said that these parameters are changing due to the warmer climate, making it more difficult to anticipate and monitor the path of soundwaves.
Moreover, the Arctic’s soundscape is also evolving with the changing of the sea ice. The once silent world of the Arctic no longer exists due to the growing human presence, the cracking of sea ice, and the future noise from the increasing number of ships navigating the newly-opened maritime routes.
“Everything needs to be re-evaluated, especially in terms of salinity and temperature in the ocean,” Real said.
Real added that everything needs to be re-evaluated, particularly in terms of the ocean’s salinity and temperature. The data and knowledge obtained hold strategic significance for developing sonars that can detect enemy submarines, manufacturing autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), identifying surface vessels by their propeller sounds, and facilitating minesweeping operations.
Submarine detection capabilities
A recent study published in the Texas National Security Review highlighted that climate change would impact submarine detection capabilities.
The researchers, who conducted studies in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans, said, “Climate change could lead either to an increase or decrease in intensity of the acoustic signals radiated or reflected by submarines.”
“As a result, distinguishing the signal of a submarine from the ambient noise might become harder or easier,” they added.
How climate change affects this activity
Submarine hunting remains a complex endeavor, and according to Real, it is premature and “impossible” to make broad generalisations about how climate change affects this activity. The variables involved differ significantly depending on the geographical area.
Real said, “The only thing we can tackle is being able to adapt the systems … to be accurate in the way we predict how sound propagates in this changing environment to create reliable models.”
Threat to West is nearby
The Western world faces a looming danger in close proximity. CMRE director Eric Pouliquen, said, “the Russian navy … has developed significant capabilities over the last decades.”
Its “capabilities are very modern and they haven’t been damaged by the conflict in Ukraine. They are very credible, technologically and militarily,” he added.
Russia has also invested in military equipment that allows it to operate in extremely cold conditions.
Why Nato made this project a priority
The Northern Fleet, Russia’s most formidable naval force, is based in this area. Given the presence of the Russian navy’s most powerful division which includes multiple submarines armed with nuclear warheads, it is understandable why Nato has prioritized this project.
“We are also looking at how Nato, naval forces in particular, will have to operate up in the North with this melting ice cap,” Pouliquen said.
“Different sea conditions and often extreme weather that we can anticipate at extreme levels strongly impact people’s equipment and the way we operate,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)