Michael Vera, Assistant Professor of Physics
michael.vera@usm.edu (228) 214-3371

Ph.D., Physics. University of California, Santa Cruz, 2001.

Research Interests:
Current research involves the development of computer simulations of acoustic propagation in the ocean. These simulations correspond to experiments with ranges of thousands of kilometers. Since the speed of sound in the water depends on temperature, these acoustic transmissions measure ocean heat content. Accurate models are required to translate the characteristics of the acoustic signal into measurements of ocean features; this process is known as ocean acoustic tomography.

Publications:

“Line-integral prediction for horizontal coherence in deep-water propagation,” M. Vera. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 117, p. 2576, (2005, abstract).

“The effect of bottom interaction on transmissions from the NPAL Kauai source,” M. Vera, K. Heaney and the NPAL group. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 117, pp. 1624-1634, (2005).

“Sensitivity kernels for finite-frequency ocean acoustic observables,” M. Vera, E.K. Skarsoulis and B.D. Cornuelle. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 116, p. 2634, (2004, abstract).

“Horizontal coherence in the NPAL experiment,” M. Vera and M. Dzieciuch. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 115, p. 2617, (2004, abstract).

“Comparison between ocean-acoustic fluctuations in parabolic-equation simulations and estimates from integral approximations,” S.M. Flatté and M.D. Vera. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 114, pp. 697-706 (2003).

“Modeling the acoustic receptions at the NPAL array from the Kauai source,” M. Vera and M. Dzieciuch. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 113, p. 2279 (2003, abstract).

“Discrepancies between ocean-acoustic fluctuations in parabolic-equation simulations and estimates from integral approximations,” M.D. Vera and S.M. Flatté. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 112, pp. 2231-2232, (2002, abstract).

“Calculations of ocean-acoustic fluctuations for use in tomography of internal waves,” S.M. Flatté and M.D. Vera. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 112, p. 2232, (2002, abstract).

“Internal-wave time evolution effect on ocean-acoustic rays,” S.M. Flatté and M.D. Vera. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 112, pp. 1359-1365, (2002).

“The effect of internal wave time dependence on ray chaos,” M. Vera and S.M. Flatté. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 108, p. 2543, (2000, abstract).