: a technique for determining the physical qualities of a known substance by measuring how long it takes sound to travel through it
Integrating measurements, such as acoustic tomography, and the installation of cheap and easy-to-use probes on ships of opportunity hold great promise.—
Thomas Royer, Eos, 31 Aug. 1999
Note:
Acoustic tomography is often used to analyze ocean water. It can be used to measure a number of different qualities, such as salinity or pressure. When it is used to determine temperature, it can also be called acoustic thermometry.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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