Design of periodic signals using FM sweeps and amplitude modulationfor ocean acoustic travel-time measurements

A design procedure for an amplitude-modulated and nonlinear frequency-modulated (AM-NLFM) signal is introduced. The designed signal can drive a given transducer to its peak power to produce a sound pressure waveform into the water with a desired power spectrum and maximum possible energy. The signal can be formed either in the time domain or in the frequency domain. The frequency domain approach gives an output power spectrum precisely identical to a preferred shape. Therefore, the sidelobe levels after matched filtering are not raised by unwanted spectral magnitude ripples which exist when a time domain method is adopted. The absence of spectral ripples is desirable for applications requiring long range transmission and good multipath discrimination capability. An acceptable tradeoff between time resolution and sidelobe levels is achieved by properly choosing the desired power spectral shape. As the time resolution is usually the most critical specification for precision travel-time measurements, it is shown that by sacrificing some of the transducer's output power capability, a waveform with a considerably wider bandwidth can be transmitted, resulting in a significantly enhanced time resolution. A quasi-steady-state (QSS) approximation is used in the signal design, leading to a manageable and intuitive design procedure     

基于矢量信号处理的水声定位系统

将传统的水声定位系统与矢量水听器相结合，设计了一种全新的轻便型长基线被动水声定位系统。介绍了系统的组成和工作原理，并结合近年来出现的矢量信号处理技术，设计了新的实时信号处理软件。经湖试和海试，系统的可行性得到了初步的验证。     

Absolute positioning of an autonomous underwater vehicle using GPS and acoustic measurements

Kinematic global positioning system (GPS) positioning and underwater acoustic ranging can combine to locate an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with an accuracy of /spl plusmn/30cm (2-/spl sigma/) in the global International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2000 (ITRF2000). An array of three precision transponders, separated by approximately 700 m, was established on the seafloor in 300-m-deep waters off San Diego. Each transponder's horizontal position was determined with an accuracy of /spl plusmn/8 cm (2-/spl sigma/) by measuring two-way travel times with microsecond resolution between transponders and a shipboard transducer, positioned to /spl plusmn/10 cm (2-/spl sigma/) in ITRF2000 coordinates with GPS, as the ship circled each seafloor unit. Travel times measured from AUV to ship and from AUV to transponders to ship were differenced and combined with AUV depth from a pressure gauge to estimate ITRF2000 positions of the AUV to /spl plusmn/1 m (2-/spl sigma/). Simulations show that /spl plusmn/30 cm (2-/spl sigma/) absolute positioning of the AUV can be realized by replacing the time-difference approach with directly measured two-way travel times between AUV and seafloor transponders. Submeter absolute positioning of underwater vehicles in water depths up to several thousand meters is practical. The limiting factor is knowledge of near-surface sound speed which degrades the precision to which transponders can be located in the ITRF2000 frame.     

A low-cost acoustic positioning system for small manned submarines

A low cost range-range acoustic positioning system using modified "off-the-shelf" components was developed for use with small manned submarines. Range information is displayed for the submarine pilot and relayed to a microcomputer aboard the surface support vessel. Software developed for the surface-vessel positioning also plots, displays, and records the submarine position. This system was successfully used to navigate the submarine "Porpoise" during search operations off the Rhode Island coast.     

基于长基线系统深海采矿ROV精确定位

对于深海采矿集矿机ROV的定位,采用传统的长基线水声定位系统通常存在较大误差。对此提出了一种新的算法模型,首先通过比较集矿机测量位置与前一次修正位置的几何关系,对当前集矿机的位置进行修正,然后利用新的集矿机位置修正声速的数值,并得出重新修正后的集矿机测量位置。这样反复的多重迭代使得在某一时刻集矿机ROV的测量位置逐步趋近其理想位置,实现长基线系统的水声精确的三维立体定位。通过数值仿真分析,结果显示与传统的长基线水声定位方法相比,通过该方法获得的集矿机行驶轨迹能更好地趋近其理想行驶曲线,表明该算法的有效性。     

Determination of instantaneous sea surface,wave heights,and ocean currents using satellite observations of the global positioning system

Abstract

Using GPS phase observations in the kinematic mode, we are able to achieve centimeter accuracy in relative three‐dimensional coordinates. This could be verified even for fast‐moving sensors in aircraft, such as airborne photogrammetric cameras, at the time of exposure. Sophisticated kinematic software has been developed resolving cycle slips and carrier‐phase ambiguities during motion. To determine the instantaneous sea surface, the GPS receiver is placed in a free‐drifting buoy with the antenna on top. Differencing the 1‐Hz observations, wave heights can be determined as well as velocity and direction of ocean (tidal) currents.

This article deals with the experiences from a test for the practical realization of this proposal. Hardware installation, software, and data analysis are described. Plans to use such an observational scenario of a GPS buoy array in the North Sea for the calibration of the radar altimeter of the European satellite ERS‐1 are presented.     

An integrated sensory-intelligent system for underwater acoustic signal-processing applications

A generic integrated sensory-intelligent system (ISIS) is developed for underwater acoustic signal-processing applications. ISIS constantly monitors the current acoustic channel conditions and smoothly integrates the outputs of the most appropriate signal-processing procedures or algorithms available to it for those conditions. The system is based on a generalization of a tuneable approximate piecewise linear (TAPL) model derived from the modified probabilistic neural network (MPNN). This model was designed to seamlessly integrate a set of local linear signal-processing algorithms within a given multidimensional data space. Depending on the input signal distortions, which are determined by environmental effects, ISIS automatically weighs and adds the outputs from a set of processing algorithms working in parallel. The weighting is related to the "closeness" of each algorithm to the sensed input signal characteristics or some other measured environmental state. A single tuning parameter is used to smoothly and seamlessly select appropriately among the parallel processing algorithm outputs. A very small tuning-parameter value selects the closest most appropriate algorithm output. At the other extreme, a fixed weighted average of all the algorithm outputs is produced with a very large value. Otherwise, a dynamic weighed average of all algorithm outputs is achieved with values in between. Some features and benefits of ISIS are demonstrated with an illustrative linear sweep chirp signal-detector estimation problem characterized by extremely variable Doppler conditions.     

An initial demonstration of underwater acoustic communication using time reversal

In July 1999, an at-sea experiment to measure the focus of a 3.5-kHz centered time-reversal mirror (TRM) was conducted in three different environments: an absorptive bottom, a reflective bottom, and a sloping bottom. The experiment included a preliminary exploration of using a TRM to generate binary-phase shift keying communication sequences in each of these environments. Broadside communication transmissions were also made, and single-source communications were simulated using the measured-channel response. A comparison of the results is made and time reversal is shown to be an effective approach for mitigating inter-symbol interference caused by channel multipath.     

Coherent reflection of an acoustic plane wave from a random sediment layer over an elastic sea floor

The problem of coherent reflection of an acoustic plane wave from a seabed consisting of a randomly inhomogeneous sediment layer overlying a uniform elastic sea floor is considered in this analysis. The random perturbation in the sediment layer is attributable to the sound-speed variations, resulting in volume scattering due to medium inhomogeneities. An approach based upon perturbation theory, combining with a derived Green's function for a slab bounded above and below, respectively, by a fluid and an elastic half-space, is employed to obtain an analytic solution for the coherent field in the sediment layer. A linear system is then constructed to facilitate the computation of the coherent reflection field. The results of the coherent reflection coefficient for various sediment randomness, frequency, sediment thickness, and sea floor elasticity have been numerically generated and analyzed. It is found that the higher/larger the randomness, frequency, thickness, and shear-wave speed, the lower is the coherent reflection. Physical interpretations for the characteristics of the various results are provided.     

声学悬浮泥沙观测系统的研制和应用

为观测水中悬浮泥沙的浓度剖面、监测水中污染物及研究近岸海区泥沙的迁移和沉积,研制了声学悬浮泥沙观测系统(ASSM).总结了设计时主要技术参数的确定及解决关键技术的方法。应用此系统观测长江口悬浮泥沙,得到典型悬浮泥沙浓度剖面。     

一个水声扩频通信系统设计与实现

严重的多途衰落、多普勒频偏是水声通信中引起误码的主要原因。低功耗、远距离、高隐蔽性、低信噪比检测、高可靠性的数据传输是水声通信的一个发展方向。设计并实现了一个水声扩频通信系统,有效地解决了以上问题,并采用快速相关算法,代替传统的矢量与矩阵相乘运算,极大地减少了程序的运行量,从而实时地处理接收信号。通过湖试和海试,验证了此通信系统的优良性能。     

Simulating the influence of an atmospheric fine inhomogeneous structure on long-range propagation of pulsed acoustic signals

The results of simulating the influence of an atmospheric fine structure on the characteristics of acoustic signals propagating throughout the atmosphere for long distances from their sources are presented. A numerical model of an atmospheric fine inhomogeneous structure within the height range z = 20…120 km is proposed to perform calculations. This model and its numerical parameters are based on the current notions of the formation of an atmospheric fine structure due to internal gravity waves. The numerical calculations were performed using the parabolic-equation method. A spatial structure of the acoustic field and the structure of an acoustic signal at long distances from a pulsed source were calculated. It is shown that the presence of an atmospheric fine structure results in a scattering of acoustic signals and their recording in the geometric shadow region. The results of calculations of signal forms are in a satisfactory agreement with data on signals recorded in the geometric shadow region which is formed at a distance of about 300 km from an experimental explosion.     

基于波动方程的检波点二次定位

在进行浅海过渡带地震资料采集时,需要将电缆和检波器沉放到海底,由于洋流、潮汐等因素的影响会使检波点的实际位置与预设位置不同,从而严重影响了后续的地震资料处理工作,因此需要对检波点进行二次定位。在海底检波点二次定位中,炮点位置已知而检波点位置未知,需要从多个炮点位置正向外推波场,使波场逐步延拓到检波点,以此来获得检波点的位置。具体实现是在海底划分网格应用克希霍夫积分法外推渡场,获得网格点的能量值,能量最高的网格点便是检波点的位置。在划分网格时需要先粗分网格,求得网格点能量值,然后在能量高的网格点区域重新细分网格,通过细分网格点的能量值来确定出检波点位置。在检波点二次定位中利用的主要是直达波的波场信息,在预处理时,需要突出直达波压制干扰波。基于波动方程的检波点二次定位在模拟和实际地震资料处理中都得到了良好的效果,验证了这种方法的可行性。     

An experimental study on an auxiliary towing system for an FPSO using active thrusters

It is ideal to design the best hull shape for a floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) that meets all performance criteria from an engineering point of view. However, in reality, it is difficult to satisfy all the criteria at the same time. If one of the performances cannot meet the criteria, then additional equipment or systems are installed to improve that performance. In this paper, when an FPSO cannot meet the towing stability inherently, we attempt to establish a procedure for determining an auxiliary towing system. Firstly, various systems that can be applied to the FPSO are compared and reviewed to improve the towing stability of the FPSO. Among them, using three active thrusters was chosen as the auxiliary towing system. Improvement of towing stability was verified from a towing model test conducted at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN). However, thruster cavitation was raised as a key problem when using thrusters for a purpose for which they were not intended. A thruster cavitation model test was additionally performed to check the safety of the thrusters. Based on these results, a safe operating range under extreme condition was confirmed by observing the occurrence of thruster cavitation. The predicted maximum unit total thrust of each thruster was compared with the observed safe operating range. Finally, the effectiveness and safety of the auxiliary towing system was verified.     

Detection of acoustic class boundaries in soft sediment systems using the seafloor acoustic discrimination system QTC VIEW

Transition zones (or ‘ecotones’) are ecologically important spatial elements of subtidal landscapes that represent a mixture of different habitat elements. We provide a method for identifying such areas in broad-scale surveys of the seafloor using the acoustic discrimination system QTC VIEW. QTC VIEW is an acoustic processing system that assigns sonar ping stacks to clusters of like points, to identify different habitats on the seafloor. Paired QTC VIEW transects (20 m spacing) were run at intervals of 200 m, at two separate sampling locations, to assess the consistency of clustering of individual ping stacks into acoustic classes. Very consistent spatial patterns of class change were found between transect pairs, suggesting high stability in the classification process. QTC VIEW assigns confidence values to each individual record; running averages calculated using a moving window along transects showed drops in confidence values associated with areas of transition in habitat class assignment, but this was not always consistent. The Berger–Parker index, a class dominance statistic, provided a more consistent transition indicator. Class transition ranged from abrupt to gradual, along with areas where a mixture of acoustic classes occurred. However, acoustically detected transition zones did not consistently respond to visual observations of the sea floor.     

水下声学定位中声速改正方法的比较

介绍了水下声学定位原理以及目前常用的几种声速改正方法,提出了一种泰勒级数展开法和声线修正法组合的声速改正方法。通过模拟算例,将加权平均声速法、泰勒级数展开法、等效声速剖面法、声线修正法和组合方法进行了比较,展示声线修正法和组合方法的效果。     

A statistical study of acoustic signals backscattered from the seabottom

Backscattering measurements were performed in shallow water on sand, gravel, and clay bottoms. The equipment included a parametric array that emitted pulses of differential frequencies (8 to 40 kHz) with a 3° directivity. The ranges did not exceed 50 m. The grazing angles varied from 4° to 90°. The bottom backscattering strength does not depend on the emitted pulse type (frequency and length). If one fits a Lambert law to the variations of the backscattering strength versus the grazing angle, the value at the origin fluctuates between-15 and-22 dB without any clear effect from the different bottom types. Statistical tests show that under the experimental measurement conditions: (1) the alternative received signal does not generally follow a normal distribution; (2) among five classical distributions in sonar and radar that have been fitted to the detected-integrated signal (exponential, Weibull, chi-2, log-normal, Rice), the best-fitted law is the log-normal; (3) signals backscattered by separated areas of the same bottom can hardly be regarded as stationary and, even less, homogeneous; and (4) with an anisotropic bottom topography the statistical properties depend on the aspect under which this topography is seen