Passive sonar target tracking with a vertical hydrophone array in a deep ocean environment

Abstract

When operating in a deep ocean environment, limited power availability makes it imperative to conserve energy. This is achieved through the use of computational efficiency, as well as a passive sonar configuration that eliminates the need for a sonar source. Mallat and Zhang’s Matching Pursuits algorithm with a Kalman filter is implemented for use in passive target tracking. This makes it possible to determine the range of a moving target through the use of dot products and other simple calculations. The model setup used to test this approach includes a vertical hydrophone array at a depth of 4-5km and a near surface target between 10 and 45 km away. Simulated results using ray tracing (BELLHOP) and wavenumber integration (OASES) were used in developing this method. Preliminary results indicate this to be an effective means of target tracking. Possible future improvements include determining the bearing as well as the range of the target.