Open AccessAtmospheric ducts can transport sound in two directions
Author(s) -
Schultz Colin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2014eo280018
Subject(s) - infrasound , atmosphere (unit) , acoustics , sound (geography) , environmental science , geology , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , physics
When conditions are right, temperature gradients and fast jets of wind can help to establish atmospheric ducts—pathways in the atmosphere that promote the propagation of low‐frequency acoustic waves (infrasound)—across long distances. Atmospheric ducts are part of the basis behind over‐the‐horizon radar, the source of some particularly clear mirages, and a channel through which sounds can travel relatively unperturbed across vast distances.