Matched field processing in a multisource environment

Abstract

Matched field processing can be utilized to localize a single source in a quiet, well-known medium. In shallow water, the combination of environmental mismatch and low signal to noise ratio causes significantly reduced resolution. Discussed is a simultaneous matched field processing and geoacoustic inversion methodology using a simulated annealing approach applied to a quiet source in the presence of loud interferers. This is accomplished by preprocessing array element acoustic data with a spatial matrix filter, which acts to reduce the effective number of sources present in the received data. Specifically, the effects of the filter on matched field processing and geoacoustic inversion accuracy as a function of interferer strength is investigated. Acoustic data collected from the Gulf of Mexico is employed to validate the proposed simultaneous localization and inversion approach. [Work supported by ONR.]