Algorithms for underwater position fixing

Abstract

Algorithms are developed for determining the coordinates of a position in three‐dimensional space with a minimum number of measurements. They are especially useful for underwater acoustic telemetry applications, such as navigation systems for divers or submersible vehicles, in which positions are calculated with respect to a long‐baseline array of fixed hydrophones or transponders on the seabed. The theory is applicable to any array configuration, and requires very simple programming for computer implementation.