Sound velocity varies as a function of pressure,
temperature and salinity. Most open ocean conditions see sound
velocities of between 1400 and 1550 metres per second. That said, under
extreme conditions of temperature - for example, in the Persian Gulf -
or depth - for example, in the Marianas Trench - sound velocities may
move beyond this standard range. The graph below depicts
environmental conditions and their corresponding sound velocity ranges.
Extreme salinity can also alter sound velocity. For
example, sound velocities in the Dead Sea of Israel or in Great Salt
Lake of Utah, America can range as high as qrs. Another example would
be underwater caverns containing salt water brine, where again sound
velocity can rise as high as 1850 m/s.
