Bottom contours
RE Lonewolf #9753: "1. Bottom contour of the local area. If...valleys and peaks....sound could be reflecting/echoing..."
I believe I have read all posts and do not recall any that address whether wreckage located next to a largely vertical and non-sedimented seafloor face (cliff) would reflect pings directionally, and if so might increase distances that a ping could be heard. By now it is improbable that any wreckage is perched high on a promentory with no impediments to pinging in every direction, so ping blanketing must be occuring. Valleys would have an axis; deep circular depressions would not; narrow chasms would have an axis but short duration of pings if transecting, etc. If a pinger was located between two cliffs and a receptor perpendicular to those axes, to what degree would an echo represent additional information? The questions are distinct from thermoclines and salinity issues. Could someone with experience speak to these several situations?
Ocean Shield is not close to the large sea floor variations to the NW and SW but despite sediment the sea floor near it might be quite jagged relative to wreckage. The two hour acquisition a few days ago would seem suggestive.