Space-time signal processing for surface ship towed active sonar

Abstract

This chapter deals with reverberation suppression in active sonar systems. Reverberation is a phenomenon which is due to reflections of the transmitted acoustic signals by the ocean bottom, from the sea surface and from within the ocean volume. Reverberation limited environments like littoral waters are a severe problem for active sonar systems because the target echo level may not exceed the reverberation level. Active sonar systems are used in a sensitive marine environment. Designers and users of active sonar systems are aware of the potential threat of active sonar systems to the marine environment. This chapter presents sonar systems which follow rigorous mammal protection procedures in order to exclude any mammal injury due to active sonar operation.