Abstract
The Sonar Equation is the heart of the process for predicting the effectiveness of an Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) ship's sonar in the underwater detection of submarines. The equation's determination of Ranges associated with probabilities of detection and false alarms is the fundamental input for the selection of the most effective sonar modes in an individual ship and, at the broader tactical scale, in the selection of ASW search plans. The Sonar Equation's predictions of sonar performance, however, are subject to considerable error when employed tactically at sea in ASW operations. A major source of the error is the input, Transmission Loss, usually derived from XBT “snapshots” of temperature versus water depth. The resulting predictions of sonar performance are projected uniformly over space and time, leading to predictions that are stale and inaccurate. Accuracy of the Sonar Equation's output, however, can be improved by measuring Transmission Loss acoustically and continuously. A stream of pulses, periodically broadcast from a specially designed expendable sound source, is measured at the front end of the ship's sonar. A large population of Transmission Loss values is built up from which strong statistical inferences regarding detection can be drawn. The power of a continuously updated population of Transmission Loss values leads to more accurate inferences of the local acoustic environment.
Published Version
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