Extracting changes in air temperature using acoustic coda phase delays

Abstract

Blast waves produced by 60 high-explosive detonations were recorded at short distances (few hundreds of meters); the corresponding waveforms show charge-configuration independent coda-like features (i.e., similar shapes, amplitudes, and phases) lasting several seconds. These features are modeled as reflected and/or scattered waves by acoustic reflectors/scatters surrounding the explosions. Using explosion pairs, relative coda phase delays are extracted and modeled as changes in sound speed due to changes in air temperature. Measurements from nearby weather towers are used for validation.