The Theoretical Signal Response of a Passive Vertical Array in Shallow Water.

Abstract

The performance of an array of hydrophones is determined by its response to the signal and noise fields in which it operates. This paper investigates the theoretical response of a vertical line array to the signal field in shallow water, taking the noise field as isotropic. A normal-mode propagation model was used to provide the incident field. Two methods of combining hydrophone signals have been studied: a broadside beamforming approach and a mode-matching method. In the first, limitations to the gain of the array are found due to the particular propagation properties of the shallow water environment. The maximum gain is achieved with an array of length 15 lambda to 20 lambda. Longer arrays have degraded performance. The second, mode-matching, method involves applying amplitude and phase weightings to the array in order to enhance its response to a selected propagation mode; provided the most powerful mode is chosen, this gives some gain improvements. The effects of the relevant parameters, e.g. range, frequency, bottom conditions, sound-speed profile, etc., on array performance and its variation with array length have been investigated and general conclusions drawn. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA082010

Entities

People

  • Rachel M. Hamson

Organizations

  • SACLANT ASW Research Centre

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Fields
  • Acoustic Properties
  • Amplitude
  • Angle Of Incidence
  • Attenuation
  • Coefficients
  • Computer Programs
  • Detection
  • Equations
  • Frequency
  • Gain
  • Hydrophones
  • Plane Waves
  • Shallow Water
  • Water
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Phased Array Antenna Design.