Preliminary analysis of left-right ambiguity resolution performance for twin-line array

It is well known that the single line array sonar can't identify whether the target comes from left or right. Multi-line array provides the possibility to solve the left-right ambiguity problem. The performance of left-right resolution for twin-line array is described in this paper. It is shown that the suppression ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the response in the steering direction to opposite symmetrical direction, can be considered as an index for evaluating the ability of solving left-right ambiguity. The characteristics of suppression ratio is discussed. The theoretical expression for suppression ratio and some numerical results are illustrated. The result of theoretical analysis can be used in design of twin-line array sonar.     

交叉验证多路径匹配追踪水声矢量阵稀疏方位估计

水下运动目标的高分辨DOA估计和目标的左右舷分辨问题一直是水声阵列信号处理中的一个核心问题。矢量阵相比于声压阵具有天然的左右舷分辨能力和更高的处理增益,近年来得到了广泛关注。Capon等一些传统高分辨处理方法存在不能解相干源、需要多快拍处理以及对阵列流行误差敏感等多种问题。针对水声阵列信号处理领域面临的以上问题,利用声呐工作场景中空间目标的稀疏性,本文提出了一种基于交叉验证技术的多路径匹配追踪（Multiplepath Matching Pursuit with Cross Validation,CV-MMP）声矢量阵稀疏DOA估计算法。该算法采用交叉验证技术可以在未知场景中目标个数的条件下实现稀疏DOA的估计,相比于常规的声矢量阵Capon算法而言,可以在小快拍数甚至单快拍数条件下实现多目标的稀疏DOA估计以及高分辨能力。仿真和海试试验数据处理验证了提出的算法的有效性。      

水下噪声目标被动测距技术研究

运用被动测距声纳中的三元测距技术，通过直接测1、3阵元的时延差来实现时延估计。仿真结果表明，改进的时延估计方法可提高时延估计精度，从而改善测距精度。此外，定义临界距离，并以此为分界点，分别采用K系数分配法和直接测量法对中远程和近程目标进行测距，解决了被动声纳的近程测距模糊问题。将其应用于声纳系统中，可显著提高声纳的被动测距能力，使被动测距声纳可全程测距。     

基于分数阶傅立叶变换的线性调频回波参数估计

本文提出了一种适用于宽带线性调频回波的分数阶傅立叶变换参数估计方法。它通过寻找合适的信号代替发射信号做模版,使得模版信号与接收信号的模糊函数匹配度高,峰值尖锐,失真率低。再利用分数阶傅立叶变换与模糊函数的关系,使用两次分数阶域的峰值搜索代替原有的一次二维搜索降低计算量。仿真实验结果表明,本文提出的方法在精确估计宽带回波的时延和频移的同时降低了计算复杂度。     

Design of sonar transducer based on the laser-induced sound

A design of a kind of sonar transducers was presented. An experimental system was developed for producing the sound signal based on the laser-induced breakdown and bubble oscillation. The power spectrum and the ambiguity function were analyzed. The range resolution and the Doppler resolution constant of the sound signal were determined. It is basically proved in theory that both the range resolution and directivity of the sonar transducer are very high. The transducer can be a sound source of high-resolution sonars.     

Determination of spatial position of multiple targets by ultrasonic binaural method

The binaural technique used in ultrasonic sonars has a higher performance speed in comparison with a mechanically scanned ultrasonic beam, however, in presence of multiple targets meets a very serious ambiguity problem. In this case the number of targets detected exceeds the actual number of targets, e.g., there are additional non-existing targets found. Objective of this research was development of a simulation tool enabling to model multi-channel sonar in the environment with multiple targets of arbitrary geometry and development of robust signal processing procedures, suitable for detection of multiple targets from the data collected using the binaural method. The developed software enables to simulate operation of multi-channel sonar in an environment with multiple reflectors and predict a time history of the reflected signals. The novel algorithm for separation of real targets from the virtual ones in presence of multiple targets has been developed. Performance of the proposed algorithm was investigated both in the simulated and a real environment. The results obtained indicate a significant improvement of the sonar performance.     

Estimating the instantaneous velocity of randomly moving target swarms in a stratified ocean waveguide by Doppler analysis

Doppler analysis has been extensively used in active radar and sonar sensing to estimate the speed and direction of a single target within an imaging system resolution cell following deterministic theory. For target swarms, such as fish and plankton in the ocean, and raindrops, birds and bats in the atmosphere, multiple randomly moving targets typically occupy a single resolution cell, making single-target theory inadequate. Here, a method is developed for simultaneously estimating the instantaneous mean velocity and position of a group of randomly moving targets within a resolution cell, as well as the respective standard deviations across the group by Doppler analysis in free-space and in a stratified ocean waveguide. While the variance of the field scattered from the swarm is shown to typically dominate over the mean in the range-velocity ambiguity function, cross-spectral coherence remains and maintains high Doppler velocity and position resolution even for coherent signal processing algorithms such as the matched filter. For pseudo-random signals, the mean and variance of the swarms' velocity and position can be expressed in terms of the first two moments of the measured range-velocity ambiguity function. This is shown analytically for free-space and with Monte-Carlo simulations for an ocean waveguide.     

Modeling interface roughness scattering in a layered seabed for normal-incident chirp sonar signals

Downward looking sonar, such as the chirp sonar, is widely used as a sediment survey tool in shallow water environments. Inversion of geo-acoustic parameters from such sonar data precedes the availability of forward models. An exact numerical model is developed to initiate the simulation of the acoustic field produced by such a sonar in the presence of multiple rough interfaces. The sediment layers are assumed to be fluid layers with non-intercepting rough interfaces.     

The time-delay estimation method of resolving left-right target ambiguity for twin-line array and its realization

The directivity function of twin-line array sonar can be used to identify left/right target. But the performance is limited by the distance between two lines and also exists the blind area for target identification. A method, which is based on the time-delay estimation between two line arrays, is proposed to identify left/right target. The method is robust with the variation of distance between two line array, the blind area is considerable decreased. The theoretical analysis results and realization method is described. An algorithm base on interpolation method for precisely estimating tune-delay of two line array are derived, therefore the left-right ambiguity problem is solved.     

Multiple ping sonar accuracy improvement using robust motion estimation and ping fusion

Noise degrades the accuracy of sonar systems. We demonstrate a practical method for increasing the effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by fusing time delay information from a burst of multiple sonar pings. This approach can be useful when there is no relative motion between the sonar and the target during the burst of sonar pinging. Otherwise, the relative motion degrades the fusion and therefore, has to be addressed before fusion can be used. In this paper, we present a robust motion estimation algorithm which uses information from multiple receivers to estimate the relative motion between pings in the burst. We then compensate for motion, and show that the fusion of information from the burst of motion compensated pings improves both the resilience to noise and sonar accuracy, consequently increasing the operating range of the sonar system.     

基于数据协方差矩阵重构的MIMO声纳DOA估计

实际多输入多输出(MIMO)声纳系统由于环境或人为因素,可能出现部分阵元失效,从而导致阵列自由度减少、方位估计精度下降。本文提出了一种数据协方差矩阵重构方法,该方法基于差分阵列性质,利用正常工作阵元的协方差矩阵元素来恢复失效阵元的矩阵元素,获得满秩的数据协方差矩阵,从而恢复到全阵元MIMO声纳的阵列自由度。与已有方法相比,降低了计算复杂度。仿真及海试实验数据处理结果表明,本文所提的数据协方差矩阵重构方法能够恢复因部分阵元失效而丢失的阵列自由度,应用于方位估计中,所能分辨的最大目标数与全阵元相同。     

双线阵左右舷模糊共轭抵消方法研究

左右舷分辨问题是拖曳线列阵研究的一个重要问题。本文通过研究平行双线阵的归一化波束输出函数,得到了一种通过对双线阵常规波束形成的输出进行幅度和相位加权来提高左右舷模糊抑制能力的方法。该方法通过分析双线阵的归一化波束输出函数,获得补偿权值,并利用双阵波束输出的幅度加权和相位补偿来抵消目标共轭(镜像)方向的输出,以达到左右舷抑制比最大的目的。数值仿真和海试结果表明,本方法简单实用,能较好的提高双线阵的左右舷抑制比,特别在宽带条件下效果更加明显。      

一种矢量水听器基阵模拟器的设计

矢量水听器的每个阵元同时测量声场中声矢量和质点振速的3个分量,相对于声压水听器阵来说,矢量阵获取声场中更多的信息。利用矢量阵所获得速度场的信息可以去除目标方位估计中的 180°模糊。模拟器可以模拟实际海洋环境中目标的辐射特性和噪声特性,应用模拟器可以有效地缩短声纳的研制周期。本文提出一种矢量水听器基阵模拟器的设计方案,该方案解决了矢量阵中宽带信号的90°移相问题、时延精确控制问题和宽带噪声的谱状控制问题。     

侧扫声纳图像实时增强技术

本文从声纳原理和测量实践出发，针对海底图像实时判读问题，首次将负反馈分析理论引入海底图像处理，论述了海底声纳图像快速增强处理方法，探讨了数据采集实时性、图像处理复杂性、外业环境干扰强等矛盾的解决方法，实现了实时多色调海底声纳图像快速增强显示，首次提出侧扫声纳图像镶嵌必须考虑增益因素。实验结果表明：海底图像满足野外环境下的声纳作业要求，声纳数据符合目标信号、系统增益控制和目标判读三个层面的要求。     

点云投影结合轻量化卷积神经网络实现三维成像声呐快速目标分类*

三维成像声呐的成像结果是三维点云,基于点云的三维成像声呐目标分类方法具有网络结构复杂,计算量大的特点,针对这一问题本文提出了一种将三维成像声呐成像结果从三维点云投影至二维图像的方法,并且使用轻量化卷积神经网络实现了三维成像声呐快速目标分类。该方法首先对三维成像声呐波束形成后的波束域数据进行最大值滤波和阈值滤波,降低点云数据维度;接着,依据三维成像声呐的波束方向,将点云投影为深度图和强度图,分别保存点云的位置信息和强度信息;然后,利用深度图和强度图分别作为第一个通道和第二个通道构建混合通道图,将混合通道图作为目标分类网络的输入,从而将三维点云的目标分类问题转换为二维图像的目标分类问题;最后使用MobileNetV2网络实现了三维成像声呐快速目标分类。实验结果表明,通过本文提出的投影方法可以用二维图像分类网络完成三维成像声呐点云的目标分类任务;而且混合通道图比单独的强度图和深度图收敛速度更快,结合目标识别网络可以25fps实时的进行目标分类,在真实数据集上分类精度达到了91.13%。     

Aerial ultrasonic micro Doppler sonar detection range in outdoor environments

Current research demonstrates that micro Doppler sonar has the capability to uniquely identify the presence of a moving human, making it an attractive component in surveillance systems for border security applications. Primary environmental factors that limit sonar performance are two-way spreading losses, ultrasonic absorption, and backscattered energy from the ground that appears at zero Doppler shift in the sonar signal processor. Spectral leakage from the backscatter component has a significant effect on sonar performance for slow moving targets. Sonar performance is shown to rapidly decay as the sensor is moved closer to the ground due to increasing surface backscatter levels.     

Perception-based automatic classification of impulsive-source active sonar echoes

Impulsive-source active sonar systems are often plagued by false alarm echoes resulting from the presence of naturally occurring clutter objects in the environment. Sonar performance could be improved by a technique for discriminating between echoes from true targets and echoes from clutter. Motivated by anecdotal evidence that target echoes sound very different than clutter echoes when auditioned by a human operator, this paper describes the implementation of an automatic classifier for impulsive-source active sonar echoes that is based on perceptual signal features that have been previously identified in the musical acoustics literature as underlying timbre. Perceptual signal features found in this paper to be particularly useful to the problem of active sonar classification include: the centroid and peak value of the perceptual loudness function, as well as several features based on subband attack and decay times. This paper uses subsets of these perceptual signal features to train and test an automatic classifier capable of discriminating between target and clutter echoes with an equal error rate of roughly 10%; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve corresponding to this classifier is found to be 0.975.     

矢量水听器线阵和弧线阵抗左右舷模糊性能分析

针对线阵声纳左右舷模糊问题,建立了基于矢量水听器直线阵 和 两种信息处理模式以及标量水听器弧线阵不同布阵方式的抗左右舷模糊性能数学模型,分析了不同布阵方式以及不同信息处理模式的抗左右舷模糊性能,并进行了仿真计算。分析和仿真结果表明,矢量水听器直线阵和标量水听器弧线阵在分辨左右舷性能和观察范围上各有优势。矢量水听器直线阵虽然可分辨左右舷且在作用距离上具有优势,但由于在一定扇面内分辨左右舷是依靠声纳方位历程图的明暗差异,在多目标情况下易造成声纳观察上的干扰;具有一定弧心角的标量水听器弧线阵,可以在更宽的扇面内具有抗左右舷模糊能力,但其以减小观察范围作为代价。     

利用正弦调频信号的宽带速度敏感特性抑制混响

有源声呐探测水中低速目标时,混响与目标回波的频率接近,目标回波与混响分离困难.根据运动目标与产生混响的散射体在速度域的差异,利用正弦调频信号(SFM)的速度敏感特性实现目标回波与混响的有效分离.推导了 SFM信号宽带混响抑制能力与速度分辨模糊之间的约束关系,建立了波形优化设计的搜索模型.通过多普勒滤波处理将数据从频率域...     

基于线性预测倒谱的被动声纳目标特征提取技术

从声纳员的角度出发，被动声纳目标可以被看作为一个发声体，利用线性预测倒谱从声纳目标噪声中分离出目标作为发声体的冲激响应在倒谱域中的表示，提取一组识别特征，设计神经网络分类器，对三类目标进行分类。实测数据验证了基于线性预测倒谱的被动声纳目标特征提取方法是可行的。