Underwater acoustics

Underwater acoustics covers underwater communication, detecting and locating underwater apparatus, monitoring cetacean populations, geophysics, signal processing and environmental impact assessments for work in the marine environment. Whether they specialise in locating targets or obstacles, communication, or mapping marine environments, many of those involved in underwater acoustics have established a base at the tip of Brittany.

Over time this has created a rich ecosystem spanning the private and public sectors. In Brest, this includes internationally renowned companies such as Sercel Underwater Acoustics, Quiet Oceans, Thales and Exail who work to promote their expertise in this field throughout the world.

On the education and research side, leading institutions such as the Institute for Ocean Science (Ifremer), ENSTA Bretagne engineering school, IMT Atlantique technological university, the French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (Shom) and the French Naval Academy (École Navale) host and train researchers and engineers, who then contribute in turn to the vitality of this innovative ecosystem and the excellence of a specialism with a wide range of applications. These include defence, research, oil and gas, marine renewable energy, and public policy in maritime affairs.

All this makes the tip of the Breton peninsula a leading destination, nationally and globally, in the field of underwater acoustics.

Photo: Sercel