The effectiveness of sound signals in navigation is primarily dependent on what?

The effectiveness of sound signals in navigation is primarily dependent on visibility conditions because sound can travel further and be more clearly heard under certain atmospheric conditions. For instance, sound propagation can be affected by factors such as wind, temperature, and humidity. In low visibility scenarios, such as fog or heavy rain, sound signals become crucial for safe navigation, allowing vessels to detect one another even when visual cues are obscured.

While the clarity of the signal is important, it is less influential than how environmental factors can either enhance or diminish the distance and clarity with which the sound is heard. The size of the vessel and its speed may play minor roles in how sound signals are produced and heard, but they do not primarily dictate the effectiveness of signaling in relation to visibility conditions. Therefore, the understanding of how sound travels in different environments is key to navigating safely in diverse weather situations.