Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!sdd.hp.com!swrinde!ucsd!nosc!cod!deichman From: deichman@cod.NOSC.MIL (Shane D. Deichman) Newsgroups: sci.bio Subject: Re: Bats by a Mile Message-ID: <3075@cod.NOSC.MIL> Date: 20 May 91 22:45:34 GMT References: <1991May17.044756.26698@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <1991May18.040410.15199@agate.berkeley.edu> Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego Lines: 24 >Wouldn't the speed of sound in the medium have some effect? Sound is >_much_ faster in water than in air. Wouldn't that make it much more >difficult to measure distances by timing sound echos? Not if you were raised on just the one velocity, and had adapted to it. While the reduced time lag may make resolution at short distances difficult, the creatures in question apparently have the ability to discern their target's position well enough that this doesn't make a whole lot of difference. On the other hand, sound velocity is affected by temperature, and water is much more prone to thermal stratiation than air. This would present a bigger resolution problem, calling for multiple repititions to gain a "solution" to intercepting the target.... -shane Go Bears! -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | Shane D. Deichman deichman@cod.nosc.mil | | "There's no heavier burden than a | | great potential!" -Linus Van Pelt |