FIELD: hydroacoustics.
SUBSTANCE: method for measuring the profile of the vertical distribution of the speed of sound consists in measuring the reference profile C(z)0, obtained by probing the speed of sound with a point sensor to a depth D, determining the average speed of sound CD(t) from the time difference between the probed pulse sent by the emitter and the time of arrival of the reflected pulse from the passive reflector, and, using the values of the reference profile C(z)0, the average value of the speed of sound 
and the speed of sound on the surface 
determining the dimensionless profile of the speed of sound Q(z) within the depth D, then, using the dimensionless profile Q(z) and the self-similarity of the ocean, from the average speed CD(t) and the speed of sound on the surface CS(t) determined are the self-similar profiles C(z, t)=Q(z)⋅CS(t)-Q(z)⋅CD{t)+CD(t), where dimensionless profile 
at t=0.
EFFECT: high reliability of hydrological models, accuracy of solving hydroacoustics problems due to use of self-similar VDSS.
1 cl, 4 dwg, 1 tbl
