Optimum array detection in fluctuating ambient noise fields

In practical underwater signal-detection problems using an array, the statistics of the ambient noise field vary spatially and temporally. This paper considers the problem of detecting a farfield signal source of known location and waveform which generates a known signal field at an array aperture. The power of the ambient noise field is considered to be a random function of space and time and the Bayes approach is used to derive optimum receiver structures and their performance. For all cases considered, the optimum array processor either requires spatial filtering which is not accomplished by a beam former or requires spatial processing in addition to that provided by a beam former. The loss of detection performance due to uncertainty in the parameters of the ambient noise field is determined for several specific cases. © 1975 by the Acoustical Society of America

Duke Scholars

Author Loren W. Nolte Electrical and Computer Engineering