Military sonars are so loud that if you happened to be idly floating near one (let’s say closer than 500 meters away) as it does one of its strongest pings, your entire body would cavitate into pink mist; it’s weakest ping would rupture every organ in your body instantly, all of your bones would fracture in place and some of your blood at the skin surface would boil from the sonars ping causing rapid pressure changes right in front of whatever is supposed to remain of your face.
Imagine standing next to a hundred grenades as they all simultaneously explode, but also pretend you are spared from the heat wave of the explosion and not the blast wave.
Sonar systems[…]generate slow-rolling sound waves topping out at around 235 decibels[…]. These sound waves can travel for hundreds of miles under water, and can retain an intensity of 140 decibels as far as 300 miles from their source.
140 dB is a gunshot at the source. About 190 in air pressure will cause an explosive shockwave that can kill a person. 235 dB in dense water pressure is…somewhat more violent, as we understand how the decibal curve works and molecular pressure at depth.
But that means that a person would be killed even if they are miles away? Maybe tens of miles.
Found it:
Based on sonar guidelines and studies on sound propagation, a diver exposed to 235 dB low-frequency sonar would likely need to be more than 1.5–2 kilometers (1–1.2 miles) away to ensure safety.
However, pings are conical and the strongest sonar is at the bow. So you could literally be safe if you were diving behind it.
Can you please explain to me, a simple person with no knowledge in that sort of thing?
I’m assuming the sonar emits a loud “ping” sound and the divers would probably deafened by it?
Edit: Holy shit …
Thanks for all the great replies.
But holy shit …
Military sonars are so loud that if you happened to be idly floating near one (let’s say closer than 500 meters away) as it does one of its strongest pings, your entire body would cavitate into pink mist; it’s weakest ping would rupture every organ in your body instantly, all of your bones would fracture in place and some of your blood at the skin surface would boil from the sonars ping causing rapid pressure changes right in front of whatever is supposed to remain of your face.
Imagine standing next to a hundred grenades as they all simultaneously explode, but also pretend you are spared from the heat wave of the explosion and not the blast wave.
140 dB is a gunshot at the source. About 190 in air pressure will cause an explosive shockwave that can kill a person. 235 dB in dense water pressure is…somewhat more violent, as we understand how the decibal curve works and molecular pressure at depth.
But that means that a person would be killed even if they are miles away? Maybe tens of miles.
Found it: Based on sonar guidelines and studies on sound propagation, a diver exposed to 235 dB low-frequency sonar would likely need to be more than 1.5–2 kilometers (1–1.2 miles) away to ensure safety.
However, pings are conical and the strongest sonar is at the bow. So you could literally be safe if you were diving behind it.
Wait a minute
Have we been pulping marine wildlife this whole time? I just connected the dots there
Yep. Its fucked. Literally drives whales to beach themselves.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_mammals_and_sonar