A system for determining the position of vessels lost at sea by means of explosive sounds.

Alternative form of sofar

Alternative form of sofar bomb

Alternative form of sofar channel

plural of SOFAR bomb

(nautical, military) A device (usually an imploding metal sphere or an explosive charge fuzed to explode at depth) which sinks in the ocean and creates a loud, low-frequency sound when it enters the sofar channel; used to determine the location of sunken vessels.

(hydrology, physics, nautical) The depth in the oceans, usually around 750 m below the surface, where the speed of sound is the lowest, causing it to transmit sound waves generated within this channel for long distances with little attenuation by acting as a waveguide.

plural of sofar bomb