Correlation trends in Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s database of simulated and collected target scattering responses focused on automated target recognition

Abstract

In recent years, NSWC PCD has assembled a database of sonar scattering responses encompassing a variety of objects including UXO, cylindrical shapes, and other clutter-type objects deployed on underwater sand and mud sediments and inspected over a large range of aspect angles and frequencies. Data available on these objects consist of a simulated component generated with 3D finite element calculations coupled to a fast Helmholtz-equation-based propagation scheme, a well-controlled experimental component collected in NSWC PCD’s pond facilities, and a component of measurements in realistic underwater environments off Panama City, FL (TREX13 and BayEX14). The goal is to use the database to test schemes for automating reliable separation of these objects into desired classes. Here, we report trends observed in an on-going correlation analysis of the database projected onto the target aspect vs frequency plane to clarify the roles of the environment, the data collection process, and target characteristics in identifying suitable phenomena useful for classification. [Work supported by ONR and SERDP.]