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dBSea Documentation

Introduction

dBSea is underwater acoustic propagation modeling software for predicting sound levels in marine environments. It is used for environmental impact assessments, noise exposure studies, and acoustic modeling in applications such as offshore construction, shipping, and marine research.

Key Capabilities

Section titled “Key Capabilities”
  • Multiple propagation solvers - Parabolic equation and ray tracing methods for different frequency ranges and environments
  • 3D and 2D modeling - Full 3D propagation calculations, plus radially symmetric (2D) for simpler cases
  • Range-dependent environments - Variable bathymetry, sound speed profiles, and sediment properties
  • Time-domain analysis - Peak, peak-to-peak, and SEL calculations for impulsive sources
  • Moving sources - Model sound exposure from vessels, towed sources, and other moving noise sources
  • Animal movement modeling - Simulate marine animal responses to sound for environmental assessments
  • GIS integration - Import bathymetry from GeoTIFF and other formats; export results to shapefiles and GeoJSON

What’s New in Version 3

Section titled “What’s New in Version 3”

dBSea v3 is a complete rebuild of the application with significant new features:

  • Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
  • 3D parabolic equation and ray tracing solvers
  • Animal movement modeling with 3MB integration
  • Python scripting interface
  • Cloud-based licensing

See What’s New in v3 for details.

Getting Started

Section titled “Getting Started”

Documentation

Section titled “Documentation”

Use the navigation menu to find help on specific topics. Key sections include:

  • Interface - Detailed documentation of each input page (sources, water properties, sediment, etc.)
  • Solvers - Description of available calculation methods and when to use each
  • CSV Editor - Tools for importing and converting bathymetry data
  • FAQ - Answers to common questions

Support

Section titled “Support”

For additional help:

  • View the application log via Tools → View dBSea Log
  • Contact support at dbsea.co.uk