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Chris Bassett Research Scientist/Engineer Principal cbassett@uw.edu Phone 206-543-1263 |
Research Interests
Passive noise studies, acoustic scattering, sea ice, marine renewable energy, fisheries acoustics, anthropogenic noise
Biosketch
Chris applies passive and active acoustic techniques to a variety of underwater applications. Some of his previous and ongoing studies include fisheries acoustics; high-frequency scattering from sea ice, crude oil, and physical oceanographic processes; measurements of anthropogenic noise; and ambient noise studies.
Education
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2007
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2010
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2013
Videos
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Connecting to the Ocean's Power: Marine Energy Research at APL-UW The U.S. Navy's support of the University of Washington, one of the nation's preeminent research universities, leverages APL-UW capabilities with university academic expertise to address a wide range of topics in marine energy through experimentation and evaluation in laboratory settings and field deployments of prototype systems. |
5 Jul 2023
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Turbulence Generated by Tides in the Canal de Chacao, Chile At a proposed tidal energy conversion site in southern Chile, APL-UW researchers are measuring the magnitude and scales of turbulence, both to aid in the design of turbines for the site and to understand the fundamental dynamics of flows through the channel. |
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7 Mar 2013
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Principal Investigator Jim Thomson chronicled all phases of the Chilean experiment through posts to the New York Times 'Scientist at Work' blog. |
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Sound Sounds: Listening to the Undersea Noise in Puget Sound Doctoral student researcher Chris Bassett is analyzing a long time series of ambient noise data from Puget Sound. Vessel traffic is the most significant noise source, but breaking waves, precipitation, biology, and sediment moving on the seabed are other common underwater noise sources. The research is being pursued in conjunction with a program to assess the environmental impacts from a tidal energy conversion system placed on the seafloor. |
13 Mar 2012
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Publications |
2000-present and while at APL-UW |
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Lessons learned from the design and operation of a small-scale cross-flow tidal turbine Bassett, C., P. Gibbs, H. Wood, R.J. Cavagnaro, B. Cunningham, J. Dosher, J. Joslin, and B. Polagye, "Lessons learned from the design and operation of a small-scale cross-flow tidal turbine," J. Ocean Eng. Mar. Energy, EOR, doi:10.1007/s40722-025-00411-y, 2025. |
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1 Jul 2025 ![]() |
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In 2023, a first-generation prototype of a small-scale marine current turbine was operated in Sequim Bay, Washington (USA) for 141 days. The system, referred to as the Turbine Lander, was the product of a laboratory-to-field effort to develop a system that enables enhanced ocean sensing or vehicle recharge in remote, energetic settings. The turbine consists of a vertical-axis, cantilevered rotor (1.19 m x 0.85 m) with four foils installed on a gravity foundation. A broader range of constraints including the deployment strategy, site characteristics, and estimated loads, drove the system's design. This work presents the design, characterization, operation, and post-recovery engineering assessment of the Turbine Lander. Pre-deployment characterization efforts yielded a peak power coefficient of approximately 0.3 for the rotor, although system losses resulted in much lower water-to-wire efficiencies under most operating conditions. The results demonstrate the importance of co-design among key components of the powertrain and control systems to achieve acceptable system efficiency across operating conditions. |
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Approaches to attributing underwater noise to a wave energy converter Polagye, B., A. Hunt, L. Mackey, and C. Bassett, "Approaches to attributing underwater noise to a wave energy converter," JASA Express Lett., 5, doi:10.1121/10.0036727, 2025. |
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16 May 2025 ![]() |
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Radiated noise from marine energy harvesting is of environmental and engineering interest. Here, drifting hydrophones measure underwater noise in the vicinity of a relatively small wave energy converter. A statistical approach is demonstrated for attributing range-dependent, commonly occurring sounds in the frequency band from 90 to 600 Hz. Time-delay-of-arrival localization is then demonstrated for attribution of individual acoustic events likely associated with the power takeoff and wave-hull interactions. Because the radiated noise from the wave energy converter falls below ambient levels at a range of approximately 150 m, it is unlikely to substantially affect marine life at greater distance. |
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Performance of a Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) for characterizing radiated noise from marine energy converters Polagye, B., C. Crisp, L. Jones, P. Murphy, J. Noe, G. Calandra, and C. Bassett, "Performance of a Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) for characterizing radiated noise from marine energy converters," J. Ocean Eng. Mar. Energy, EOR, doi:10.1007/s40722-024-00358-6, 2024. |
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12 Dec 2024 ![]() |
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Marine energy converters can generate electricity from energetic ocean waves and water currents. Because sound is extensively used by marine animals, the radiated noise from these systems is of regulatory interest. However, the energetic nature of these locations poses challenges for performing accurate passive acoustic measurements, particularly with stationary platforms. The Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) is a modular hydrophone recording system purpose-built for marine energy environments. Using a flow shield in currents and mass–spring–damper suspension system in waves, we demonstrate that DAISYs can effectively minimize the masking effect of flow noise at frequencies down to 10 Hz. In addition, we show that groups of DAISYs can utilize time-delay-of-arrival post-processing to attribute radiated noise to a specific source. Consequently, DAISYs can rapidly measure radiated noise at all frequencies of interest for prototype marine energy converters. The resulting information from future operational deployments should support regulatory decision-making and allow technology developers to make design adjustments that minimize the potential for acoustic impacts as their systems are scaled up for utility-scale power generation. |
In The News
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Oscilla Power, Univ. of Wash. and others share $25M federal grant to spur wave energy efforts GeekWire, Lisa Stiffler The UW, in partnership with Integral Consulting, will study the underwater noise being created by wave energy converters that are being tested at the PacWave South facility on the Oregon Coast. The information will be helpful to wave energy entrepreneurs and regulating agencies working to make sure the devices don’t harm marine life. |
27 Jan 2022
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Sounds of the sea: Stones clanging Inside Science, Joel N. Shurkin Tide-borne pebbles on the seabed can drown out other ocean noises. According to research by Christopher Bassett and colleagues published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, the noise from gravel on the seabed is significant to the overall undersea soundscape. |
21 May 2013
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Noisy ships, ferries create racket below Puget Sound The Seattle Times, Craig Welch Recent work by University of Washington researchers shows noise in some Puget Sound shipping channels regularly meets or exceeds levels the federal government suggests may be harmful to marine life. |
3 Jan 2013
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