Locating sound sources with vector sound-intensity probes, using polynomial continuation

Abstract

Vector sound intensity (i.e., sound-power flow per unit area) can be used to locate sound sources. In a previous paper [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 856–866 (1995)] it was shown experimentally that the direction of a source can be determined with a vector sound-intensity probe within ±2°. It was also shown that the directions of two continuous, noncoherent sources can be found with a single sound-intensity probe, using the spectral characteristics of the sources and/or spectral subtraction. In the present theoretical paper, it is demonstrated that a system of two vector probes can determine both the spatial coordinates and the sound-power output of two monopole sources through numerical solution of a set of nonlinear equations by the method of polynomial continuation. This procedure can be extended to a greater number of sources and an equal number of probes.