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Hydroacoustics
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Publications

Underwater Acoustics

2025

N. J. Bickmore‡ , C. E. Dobbs † , C. T. Vongsawad, and T. B. Neilsen. "Transfer learning to account for sound speed changes: Example for source ranging in underwater laboratory tank." JASA Express Letters 5, no. 10 (2025). DOI: 10.1121/10.0039651

G. E. Lau*, M. C. Mortenson†, T. B. Neilsen, D. F. Van Komen, W. S. Hodgkiss, and D. P. Knobles, “Ensemble approach to deep learning seabed classification using multichannel ship noise,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 157(3), 2127-2149 (2025). DOI: 10.1121/10.0036221

T. A. Jackson‡ , M. K. M. Randall‡ , J. D. Bickmore‡ , T. B. Neilsen, M. Ashcroft, A. Fustukjian, “Characterizing large public spaces in an aquarium,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 015011 (2025). DOI: 10.1121/2.0002200

M. K. M. Randall‡ , T. A. Jackson‡ , T. B. Neilsen, M. Ashcroft, A. Fustukjian, “Sound transmission into a large aquarium shark tank,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 010002 (2025). DOI 10.1121/2.0002230

2024

E. Potokar, K. Lay, K. Norman, D. Benham, S. Ashford, R. Peirce, T. B. Neilsen, M. Kaess, J. G. Mangelson, "HoloOcean: A Full-Featured Marine Robotics Simulator for Perception and Autonomy," in IEEE J. Oceanic Eng. 49(4), 1322-1336 (2024), DOI: 10.1109/JOE.2024.3410290

J. C. Spendlove†, T. B. Neilsen, M. K. Transtrum, “Information geometry analysis example for absolute and relative transmission loss in a shallow ocean,” JASA Express Lett. 4, 076001 (2024). DOI: 10.1121/10.0026449

D. P. Knobles, W. S. Hodgkiss, J. Chaytor, T. B. Neilsen, Y-T Lin, “Feature-based maximum entropy for geophysical properties of the seabed,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 155, 3559–3567 (2024). DOI: 10.1121/10.0026202

D. P. Knobles, T. B. Neilsen, W. S. Hodgkiss, J. A. Goff, “ Inference of source signatures of merchant ships in shallow ocean environments,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 155, 3144–3155 (2024). DOI: 10.1121/10.0025983

A. C. Edwards†, M. S. Wang‡, A. Smith*, J. C. Spendlove†, T. B. Neilsen, M. K. Transtrum, “Impact of viscous-grain shearing parameters on transmission loss in sediment acoustics,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 54(1), 070007 (2024). DOI: 10.1121/2.0002258

M. C. Mortenson,T. B. Neilsen, M. K. Transtrum, and D. P. Knobles, “Learning Seabed Properties and Sensitivities from Ship Noise Spectrograms,” in OCEANS 2024-Singapore (pp. 1-8). IEEE, 2024. DOI: 10.1109/OCEANS51537.2024.10682285

J. R. Nuttall, T. B. Neilsen, and M. K. Transtrum, “Maximum entropy temperature selection via the equipartition theorem.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52(1) 070004 (2024) DOI: 10.1121/2.0001959

J. C. Spendlove†, T. B. Neilsen, M. K. Transtrum, “Information geometry in underwater acoustics: tutorial, case study, and outlook,” Journal for Theoretical and Computational Acoustics, 32(3), 2450011 (2024). DOI: 10.1142/S2591728524500117

Y. Kurniawan†, T. B. Neilsen, B. L. Francis, A. M. Stonkovic, M. Wen, I. Nikiforov, … and M. K. Transtrum, “An information-matching approach to optimal experimental design and active learning,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 128 (6), 064104 (2026). DOI: 10.1063/5.0296026

A. M. Hopps-McDaniel, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles, W. S. Hodgkiss, P. S. Wilson, and J. D. Sagers, “Deep sediment heterogeneity inferred using very low-frequency features from merchant ships,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. , 156(4), 2265-2274 (2024). DOI: 0.1121/10.0030467

2023

M. C. Mortenson, T. B. Neilsen, M. K. Transtrum, and D. P. Knobles, “Accurate broadband gradient estimates enable local sensitivity analysis of ocean acoustic models,” Journal of Theoretical and Computational Acoustics (2022). DOI: 10.1142/S2591728522500153

C. V. Vongsawad, A. H. Bennion, S. P. Hollingsworth‡, K. N. Terry‡, C. E. Dobbs, G. H. Fronk, and T. B. Neilsen, “Mentored student research: A case study evaluation of benefits and best practices,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 152(4) 2054-2072 (2022). (Special Issue on Education in Acoustics) DOI: 10.1121/10.0014348

J. A. Castro-Correa, S. A. Arnett, T. B. Neilsen, L. Wan, and M. Badiey. "Supervised Classification of Sound Speed Profiles Via Dictionary Learning", Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 40, 99-112 (2023). DOI: 10.1175/JTECH-D-21-0090.1

G. E. Lau and T. B. Neilsen, “Validating seabed classification of spectrograms from multiple channels on a vertical line array,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 51(1), 05503 (2023). DOI: /10.1121/2.0001971G. E. Lau and T. B. Neilsen, “Validating seabed classification of spectrograms from multiple channels on a vertical line array,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 51(1), 05503 (2023). DOI: /10.1121/2.0001971

A. M. Hopps-McDaniel‡, T. B. Neilsen, “Temperature-induced sound speed variability in a laboratory water tank,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 51(1), 070001 (2023). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001757

T. B. Neilsen et al. “Comparison of seabed classification using unsupervised and supervised learning on ship noise spectrograms,” In OCEANS 2023-Limerick, pp. 1-7. IEEE, 2023.

2022

D. F. Van Komen, K. Howarth, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles and P. H. Dahl, "A CNN for Range and Seabed Estimation on Normalized and Extracted Time-Series Impulses," IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 47(3) 833-846 (2022). DOI: 10.1109/JOE.2021.3134719

K. Howarth, T. B. Neilsen, D. F. Van Komen, D. P. Knobles, "Seabed Classification Using a Convolutional Neural Network on Explosive Sounds," IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 47(3) 670-679 (2022). DOI: 10.1109/JOE.2021.3110322

D. P. Knobles, T. B. Neilsen, P. S. Wilson, W. S. Hodgkiss, J. Bonnel, and Y. T. Lin. "Maximum entropy inference of seabed properties using waveguide invariant features from surface ships." J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 151(5) 2885-2896 (2022). DOI: 10.1121/10.0010372

D. P. Knobles, C. D. Escobar-Amado, M. J. Buckingham, W. S. Hodgkiss, P. S. Wilson, T. B. Neilsen, J. Yang, M. Badiey, “Statistical Inference of Sound Speed and Attenuation Dispersion of a Fine-Grained Marine Sediment,” IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 47(3) 553-564 (2022). DOI: 10.1109/JOE.2021.3091846

S. M. Amos‡, D. B. Mortenson, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles, and W. S. Hodgkiss, “Determining optimal time interval and frequency band of ship noise spectrograms for seabed classification,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. International Conference on Underwater Acoustics 2022 47(1), 070016 (2022). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001625

K. N. Terry‡, C. T. Vongsawad†, & T. B. Neilsen. “Cartesian normal-mode models for a mid-size laboratory water tank” Proc. Meet. Acoust. 45, 070007 (2022). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001567

C. T. Vongsawad†, T. B. Neilsen, A. D. Kingsley†, J. E. Ellsworth, B. E. Anderson, K. N. Terry‡, C. E. Dobbs‡, S. E. Hollingsworth‡, and G. H. Fronk‡, “Design of an underwater acoustics lab,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 45, 070005 (2022). (Invited) DOI: 10.1121/2.0001540

A. N. Earnhardt*, T. B. Neilsen, M. C. Acree†, W. S. Hodgkiss, and D. P. Knobles, “Sound Signal Classification in the New England Mud Patch,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 43 070001 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001475

2021

C. D. Escobar-Amado, T. B. Neilsen, J. A. Castro-Correa, D. F. Van Komen, M. Badiey, D. P. Knobles, and W. S. Hodgkiss, “Seabed classification from merchant ship-radiated noise using a physics-based ensemble of deep learning algorithms,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 150(2), 1434-1447 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0005936

D. J. Forman, Tracianne B. Neilsen, D. F. Van Komen, D. P. Knobles, “Validating deep learning seabed classification via acoustic similarity,” JASA Express Letters, 1(4), 040802 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0004138

D. F. Van Komen, T. B. Neilsen, D. B. Mortenson, M. C. Acree, D. P. Knobles, M. Badiey, W. S. Hodgkiss, “Seabed type and source parameters predictions using ship spectrograms in convolutional neural networks.,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 149, 1198-1210 (2021). (Special Issue on Machine Learning) DOI: 10.1121/10.0003502

T. B. Neilsen, C. D. Escobar-Amado, M. C. Acree, W. S. Hodgkiss, D. F. Van Komen, D. P. Knobles, M. Badiey, J. Castro-Correa, “Learning location and seabed type from a moving mid-frequency source,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 149, 692-705 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0003361

J. A. Castro-Correa, M. Badiey, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles, W. S. Hodgkiss, “Impact of data augmentation on supervised learning for a moving mid-frequency source,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 150, 3914-3928 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0007284

D. P. Knobles, P. S. Wilson, T. B. Neilsen, and W. S. Hodgkiss, “Influence of seabed on very low frequency sound recorded during passage of merchant ships on the New England shelf,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 149(5), 3294-3300 (2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0004991

2020

D. F. Van Komen, T. B. Neilsen, K. Howarth, D. P. Knobles, P. H. Dahl, “Seabed and range estimation of impulsive time series using a convolutional neural network,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147, EL409-EL414 (2020). DOI: 10.1121/10.0001216

2019

D. F. Van Komen†, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles, and M. Badiey, “A convolutional neural network for source range and ocean seabed classification using pressure time-series,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 36, 070004 (2019). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001124 

D. F. Van Komen†, T. B. Neilsen, D. P. Knobles, and M. Badiey, “A feedforward neural network for source range and ocean seabed classification using time-domain features,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 36, 070003 (2019). DOI: 10.1121/2.0001077

2006

M. J. Isakson and T. B. Neilsen, “The viability of reflection loss measurement inversion to predict broadband acoustic behavior,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 135-144 (2006).

M. Isakson and T. Neilsen, “A comparison of elastic and poro-elastic models for inversions of reflection loss measurements of a smooth water/sand interface at high frequencies,” in Acoustic Inversion Methods and Experiments for the Assessment of the Shallow Water Environment. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publish. 2006.

2005

T. B. Neilsen, “Localization of multiple acoustic sources in the shallow ocean,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 118, 2944-2953 (2005)

2003

T. B. Neilsen and D. P. Knobles, “Geoacoustic inversion of range-dependent data with added Gaussian noise,” IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 28, 446-453 (2003).

T. B. Neilsen, “An iterative implementation of rotated coordinates for inverse problems,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 113, 2574-2586 (2003).

2002

T. B. Neilsen and E. K. Westwood, “Extraction of acoustic normal mode depth functions using vertical line array data,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 111, 748 - 756 (2002).

Education

2023

M. F. Garate‡, C. K. Chandler‡, A. H. Bennion, C. Snelgrove, T. B. Neilsen, “Making the Physics of Energy and Climate Accessible to All,” The Physics Teacher 61(7), 580-583 (2023). DOI: 10.1119/5.0136362

2022

J. K. Whiting, M. L. Berardi, A.B. Vaughn, C. T. Vongsawad, T. B. Neilsen, B. E. Anderson, and K. L. Gee. "Sounds to astound: An acoustics outreach show." J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 152(2) 835-850(2022). DOI: 10.1121/10.0013010

M. F. Garate, C. K. Chandler‡, A. H. Bennion, C. Snelgrove, T. B. Neilsen, “Making the Physics of Energy and Climate Accessible to All,” Accepted to The Physics Teacher December 2022.

2018

T. B. Neilsen and C. B. Goates†, “Pre-class exposure to interactive simulations increases efficacy,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust 33, 025002 (2018). DOI: 10.1121/2.0000833

2017

T. B. Neilsen, “How understanding and addressing the concerns of women students benefits all students,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 30, 025004 (2017). (Invited) DOI:10.1121/2.0000586

K. Smith, T. B. Neilsen, J. Grimshaw, “Full-day Noise Exposure for student musicians at Brigham Young University,” Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics 30, 035002 (2017). DOI:10.1121/2.0000568

2016

C. B. Goates, J. K. Whiting, M. L. Berardi, K. L. Gee, and T. B. Neilsen, "The sound of STEAM: Acoustics as the bridge between the arts and STEM," Proc. Mtgs Acoust. 26, 025002 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1121/2.0000475

2015

B. M. Harker, T. B. Neilsen, K. L. Gee, J. K. Whiting, M. L. Berardi, and M. F. Calton, “@BYUAcoustics
and @SoundstoAstound: Using social media to enhance research and outreach at Brigham Young University,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 23, 025002 (2015). DOI:10.1121/2.0000082

2012

T. B. Neilsen, W. J. Strong, B. E. Anderson, K. L. Gee, S. D. Sommerfeldt, and T W. Leishman, “Creating an active-learning environment in an introductory acoustics course”, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, 2500-2509 (2012).

T. B. Neilsen and K. L. Gee, “Use of a Just-In-Time Teaching techniques in an introductory acoustics class,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 18, 025001 (2012).

T. B. Neilsen and K. L. Gee, “Application of active-learning techniques to enhance student-based learning objectives,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 14, 025001 (2012).

2009

T. B. Neilsen, K. L. Gee, and M. D. Gardner‡, “Near-field acoustic holography in conical coordinates,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 6, 065004 (2009).