Localization of multiple acoustic sources in the shallow ocean

An iterative, rotated coordinates inversion technique is applied in conjunction with spatial narrowband filters in matrix form to localize multiple acoustic sources in the shallow ocean. When the iterative, rotated coordinates inversion technique is applied to broadband horizontal line array data designed to simulate a group of moving ships, the bearing of the loudest source is quickly identified. Both passband and stop band matrix filters are constructed for an angular sector centered on the identified bearing. Data filtered with the passband filters are used in the inversion to obtain estimates of the remaining source parameters, range, depth, course angle and speed, and prominent environmental parameters. Additional inversions applied to data modified by the stop band filters yield the bearing of the next loudest source. The procedure is repeated until all detectable sources have been localized. Results of applying this strategy to several simulated cases are presented. © 2005 Acoustical Society of America. DOI: 10.1121/1.2041307