Underwater acoustics is important in all underwater sonar systems for object detection, classification, surveillance and for communications links for military and civilian purposes. Sound is also a major tool for studying the ocean environment and the interaction of sound and marine life in general. Understanding Ocean Acoustics emphasises such applications and issues relevant to studies of the ocean environment and aquatic life. Its focus is therefore environmental research and development using low frequencies relevant to fish and sea mammals. For such frequencies, the geoacoustic properties of the bottom cannot be ignored, which requires knowledge about waves in solids, which is missing in most books on underwater acoustics.
