# Can the sonic "ping" used in submarine sonar hurt if you were close to it underwater?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-sonic-ping-used-in-submarine-sonar-hurt-if-you-were-close-to-it-underwater/436961>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 9, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-sonic-ping-used-in-submarine-sonar-hurt-if-you-were-close-to-it-underwater/436961 "2008-02-09T21:41:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-sonic-ping-used-in-submarine-sonar-hurt-if-you-were-close-to-it-underwater/436961/1 "2008-02-09T21:41:08Z")

</div>

Just curious. It’s apparently strong enough [to be of concern re injuring underwater life that’s sensitive to sonar, a](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/347644_sonar17.html)nd various efforts have been made to reduce it’s use. Could it hurt a human being underwater if they were close to the thing that emits the signal?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-sonic-ping-used-in-submarine-sonar-hurt-if-you-were-close-to-it-underwater/436961/2 "2008-02-10T03:14:02Z")

</div>

Yes. Active sonar can produce sound pressure levels capable of incapacitating a human underwater in close proximity to a submarine, such as an enemy diver.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-sonic-ping-used-in-submarine-sonar-hurt-if-you-were-close-to-it-underwater/436961/3 "2008-02-10T03:58:50Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=astro]  
Just curious. It’s apparently strong enough [to be of concern re injuring underwater life that’s sensitive to sonar, a](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/347644_sonar17.html)nd various efforts have been made to reduce it’s use. Could it hurt a human being underwater if they were close to the thing that emits the signal?  
[/QUOTE]

Note that the sonars at issue are operated from surface ships, not submarines. They are intended to locate submarines. As others have said the subs have powerful sonars as well, but the ones being used, as I understand it, are part the surface force.