Bayesian geoacoustic inversion of ship noise on a horizontal array

This paper applies geoacoustic inversion to low-frequency narrow-band acoustic data from a quiet surface ship recorded on a bottom-moored horizontal line array in shallow water. A Bayesian matched-field inversion method is employed which quantifies geoacoustic uncertainties and allows for meaningful comparison of inversion results from different data sets. Geoacoustic inversion results for ship-noise data are compared with inversion results for multitone data from a towed controlled source collected in the same experiment, and with independent geophysical measurements. To increase the information content of low-level ship-noise data, the effect of including multiple, independent data segments in the inversion is investigated and shown to significantly reduce geoacoustic parameter uncertainties. Geoacoustic uncertainties are also shown to depend on ship range and orientation, with increased uncertainties for long ranges and for the ship stern oriented away from the array.     

Range-dependent seabed characterization by inversion of acoustic data from a towed receiver array

The MAPEX2000 experiments were conducted in the Mediterranean Sea in March, 2000 to determine seabed properties using a towed acoustic source and receiver array. Towed systems are advantageous because they are easy to deploy from a ship and the moving platform offers the possibility for estimating spatially variable (range-dependent) seabed properties. In this paper, seabed parameters are determined using a matched-field geoacoustic inversion approach with measured, towed array data. Previous research has successfully applied matched-field geoacoustic inversion techniques to measured acoustic data. However, in nearly all cases the inverted data were collected on moored, vertical receiver arrays. Results here show that seabed parameters can also be extracted by inverting acoustic measurements from a towed array of receivers, and these agree with those inverted using data received simultaneously on a vertical array. These findings imply that a practical technique could be developed to map range-dependent seabed parameters over large areas using a towed acoustic system. An example of such a range-dependent inversion is given using measurements from the MAPEX2000 experiments.     

舰船辐射噪声贝叶斯方法反演浅海底层结构及地声参数EI北大核心CSCD

针对以舰船辐射噪声为参考声源的浅海海底分层结构及地声参数反演问题,研究了一种基于贝叶斯理论的浅海多层海底地声参数反演方法。反演中以舰船辐射噪声的线谱成分为研究对象,进而采用非线性贝叶斯反演方法反演浅海底层结构、层中声速、声速衰减和密度,并对反演结果的不确定性进行分析。反演结果的最大后验概率估计值和边缘概率分布分别通过拨正模拟退火算法和Metropolis-Hastings采样法在各参数先验区间内计算获得,并根据贝叶斯信息准则确定最佳海底分层结构。海上实验表明:根据该方法反演获得海底分层结构及地声参数,计算得到的声压场与实测舰船辐射噪声传播损失误差不超过10%,反演结果能够准确表征实验海区海底特征。反演结果不确定性分析表明:海底纵波声速、横波声速以及密度的不确定性更小,对声压场变化更加敏感,反演结果更有效、准确。     

Geoacoustic inversion with ships as sources

Estimation of geoacoustic parameters using acoustic data from a surface ship was performed for a shallow water region in the Gulf of Mexico. The data were recorded from hydrophones in a bottom mounted, horizontal line array (HLA). The techniques developed to produce the geoacoustic inversion are described, and an efficient method for geoacoustic inversion with broadband beam cross-spectral data is demonstrated. The performance of cost functions that involve coherent or incoherent sums over frequency and one or multiple time segments is discussed. Successful inversions for the first sediment layer sound speed and thickness and some of the parameters for the deeper layers were obtained with the surface ship at nominal ranges of 20, 30, or 50 water depths. The data for these inversions were beam cross-spectra from four subapertures of the HLA spanning a little more than two water depths. The subaperture beams included ten frequencies equally spaced in the 120-200 Hz band. The values of the geoacoustic parameters from the inversions are validated by comparisons with geophysical observations and with the parameter values from previous inversions by other invesigators, and by comparing transmission loss (TL) measured in the experiment with modeled TL based on the inverted geoacoustic parameters.     

Sound speed profile characterization by the image source method

This paper presents the first results of an imaging technique that measures the geoacoustic structure of a seafloor in shallow water areas. The devices used were a broadband (100 Hz-6 kHz) acoustic source towed by a ship and a vertical array. Among all the acoustic paths existing in the water column, two are used: the direct one and the seabed-reflected one, the latter being composed of the reflections from the seafloor's surface as well as that from each buried layer. Due to the good time resolution of the signal and to the short range configuration, the reflected signal can be modeled as a sum of contributions coming from image sources relative to the seabed layers. The seabed geometry and the sound speed profile can then be recovered with the detection and localization of these image sources. The map of the image sources is obtained by a function that combines back-propagation of signals and knowledge of the emitted pulse. The thickness and sound-speed of each layer is finally obtained by a position analysis of the image sources. The results obtained by this data-driven algorithm on both at-sea and synthetic data are satisfactory.     

利用海底反射信号进行地声参数反演的方法

针对现有反演方法的缺点,提出了一种基于海底反射信号的地声参数高分辨反演方法.它利用短距离声源在不同深度上发射宽带线性调频信号,采用垂直阵进行接收,首先通过匹配滤波方法提取多径到达信息,然后利用海底反射损失曲线,反演海底表层的声速和密度,最后利用浅底层反射信号估计沉积层参数.由于海水中直达波受到内波的强烈影响,选择海底表面反射作为参考,用以可靠地计算浅底层反射的相对到达时间和幅度,从而估计出沉积层的厚度、速度和衰减系数.通过海上实验,验证了利用浅底层反射信号反演参数的有效性. 关键词： 海底参数 反演 浅底层反射信号     

基于拖曳倾斜线列阵的海底反射损失提取方法

在浅海环境中,海底声学参数对水下声场的精确预报十分重要.现有的海底声学参数反演方法大多数是采用固定垂直阵进行的,其缺点是不能实施大面积、高分辨的走航式反演.在已提出的垂直阵海底反射损失反演方法的基础上,研究了基于三种线列阵阵形的海底反射损失提取方法及其特点,提出了基于拖曳倾斜线列阵与三个声源组合的走航式海底参数快速获取方法,并对该方法进行了误差分析.研究结果表明：覆盖同样的掠射角范围,垂直线列阵需与多个距离的声源组合,拖曳水平线列阵只需一个声源组合但需要采用较大的物理孔径,拖曳倾斜线列阵综合了垂直阵和水平 关键词： 水下声场预报 海底声学参数 海底反射损失 拖曳倾斜线列阵     

Statistical estimation of transmission loss from geoacoustic inversion using a towed array

Geoacoustic inversion estimates environmental parameters from measured acoustic fields (e.g., received on a towed array). The inversion results have some uncertainty due to noise in the data and modeling errors. Based on the posterior probability density of environmental parameters obtained from inversion, a statistical estimation of transmission loss (TL) can be performed and a credibility level envelope or uncertainty band for the TL generated. This uncertainty band accounts for the inherent variability of the environment not usually contained in sonar performance prediction model inputs. The approach follows [Gerstoft et al. IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 31, 299-307 (2006)] and is demonstrated with data obtained from the MAPEX2000 experiment conducted by the NATO Undersea Research Center using a towed array and a moored source in the Mediterranean Sea in November 2000. Based on the geoacoustic inversion results, the TL and its variability are estimated and compared with the measured TL.     

Sequential trans-dimensional Monte Carlo for range-dependent geoacoustic inversion

This paper develops a sequential trans-dimensional Monte Carlo algorithm for geoacoustic inversion in a strongly range-dependent environment. The algorithm applies advanced Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in combination with sequential techniques (particle filters) to carry out geoacoustic inversions for consecutive data sets acquired along a track. Changes in model parametrization along the track (e.g., number of sediment layers) are accounted for with trans-dimensional partition modeling, which intrinsically determines the amount of structure supported by the data information content. Challenging issues of rapid environmental change between consecutive data sets and high information content (peaked likelihood) are addressed by bridging distributions implemented using annealed importance sampling. This provides an efficient method to locate high-likelihood regions for new data which are distant and ∕ or disjoint from previous high-likelihood regions. The algorithm is applied to simulated reflection-coefficient data along a track, such as can be collected using a towed array close to the seabed. The simulated environment varies rapidly along the track, with changes in the number of layers, layer thicknesses, and geoacoustic parameters within layers. In addition, the seabed contains a geologic fault, where all layers are offset abruptly, and an erosional channel. Changes in noise level are also considered.     

Bayesian geoacoustic inversion using wind-driven ambient noise

This paper applies Bayesian inversion to bottom-loss data derived from wind-driven ambient noise measurements from a vertical line array to quantify the information content constraining seabed geoacoustic parameters. The inversion utilizes a previously proposed ray-based representation of the ambient noise field as a forward model for fast computations of bottom loss data for a layered seabed. This model considers the effect of the array's finite aperture in the estimation of bottom loss and is extended to include the wind speed as the driving mechanism for the ambient noise field. The strength of this field relative to other unwanted noise mechanisms defines a signal-to-noise ratio, which is included in the inversion as a frequency-dependent parameter. The wind speed is found to have a strong impact on the resolution of seabed geoacoustic parameters as quantified by marginal probability distributions from Bayesian inversion of simulated data. The inversion method is also applied to experimental data collected at a moored vertical array during the MAPEX 2000 experiment, and the results are compared to those from previous active-source inversions and to core measurements at a nearby site.     

Passive geoacoustic inversion with a single hydrophone using broadband ship noise

An inversion scheme is proposed, relying upon the inversion of the noise of a moving ship measured on a single distant hydrophone. The spectrogram of the measurements exhibits striations which depend on waveguide parameters. The periodic behavior of striations versus range are used to estimate the differences of radial wavenumber between couples of propagative modes at a given frequency. These wavenumber differences are stacked for several frequencies to form the relative dispersion curves. Such relative dispersion curves can be synthesized using a propagation model feeded with a bottom geoacoustic model. Inversion is performed by looking for the bottom properties that optimize the fit between measured and predicted relative dispersion curves. The inversion scheme is tested on simulated data. The conclusions are twofold: (1) a minimum 6 dB signal to noise ratio is required to obtained an unbiased estimate of compressional sound speed in the bottom with a 3 m s(-1) standard deviation; however, even with low signal to noise ratio, the estimation error remains bounded and (2) in the case of a multi-layer bottom, the scheme produces a single depth-average compressional sound speed. The inversion scheme is applied on experimental data. The results are fully consistent with a core sample measured around the receiving hydrophone.     

矢量水听器拖曳阵的信号模拟器设计

本文中所设计的基于矢量水听器的拖线阵声纳模拟器,仿真了拖线阵的拖船干扰时域信号和空间传播特性,以及矢量水听器偶极子指向性。对于拖船干扰的仿真用Ecs模型来设定宽带功率谱,以AR模型来拟合指定功率谱,利用海底、海面对声场的一次反射作用仿真了拖船干扰的空间多途信道。利用插值滤波器的方法按照设定的时间精度仿真了宽带信号的阵元间精确延时。处理该模拟器所产生阵元时空采样仿真信号而得到的波束形成结果验证了该模拟器的有效性。     

深海近距离声场频率-距离干涉结构反演海底声学参数

地声反演一般存在多解性的问题,不易有效分离沉积层声速与厚度,本文提出了一种当声源与接收水听器分别位于海面与海底附近时匹配声场干涉周期反演深海沉积层声速与厚度的方法。该声场周期结构由直达波与海底沉积层反射回波干涉形成,其干涉周期受沉积层声速和厚度影响,通过匹配实测与理论计算的声场干涉周期可有效反演沉积层声速和厚度。开展了深海实验验证,利用水听器接收到的近距离船舶噪声的声场干涉条纹,反演得到的实验海域海底沉积层声速与该海域海底表层采样平均值差小于20 m/s。数值仿真与实验结果表明该方法可以有效反演沉积层的声速与厚度。      

利用海洋环境噪声估计浅海海底表层声速

为提高反演效率,提出一种快速估计浅海海底表层声速的方法。根据噪声能流理论,垂直阵接收的海洋环境噪声数据能够用于无源提取海底反射损失,反射损失曲线中具有明显的临界角效应,从而接估计海底表层声速。以射线模型为基础,推导了噪声提取的反射损失与理论值之间的差异,并讨论实际阵列波束形成在不同角度和频率下的性能。考虑到非等声速环境下声线会发生弯曲,需对角度进行修正以提高方法的广泛适用性。不同频率的临界角与有效深度之间存在对应关系,黄海某海区数据处理结果表明,在临界角不变的有效深度内,海底表层可以视为等声速层,该海区海底表层0.5 m内声速估计结果为1547 m/s,与有源反演结果相近。      

利用拖船自噪声进行浅海环境参数贝叶斯反演

研究了以拖船自噪声为参考声源的浅海环境参数反演问题,并针对反演结果不确定性快速量化评估问题,提出了一种基于自适应重要性抽样的贝叶斯反演新方法。反演利用了拖船自噪声低频线谱成分,并采用混合高斯推荐函数自适应推荐声场模型样本,使得样本集中于参数高概率密度区域,实现后验概率密度快速收敛计算。仿真试验结果表明:拖船自噪声反演能够准确估计水深、沉积层及阵列参数等。所提自适应重要性抽样贝叶斯反演方法的计算效率优于快速吉布斯抽样方法。利用试验数据处理验证,反演得到试验海域声学环境参数,计算传播损失与各阵元接收线谱强度变化吻合,说明反演最优环境模型能准确表征声场传播特征。      

利用多角度海底反向散射信号进行地声参数估计

针对现有海底地声参数估计方法的不足,提出了利用相控参量阵浅地层剖面仪接收的多角度海底反向散射信号进行地声参数估计的方法,首先利用正下方和斜入射方向上沉积层上、下表面的差频反向散射信号进行沉积层厚度和声速估计,然后利用正下方沉积层上、下表面两个不同频率的差频信号的反向散射信号估计沉积层衰减系数,最后利用正下方沉积层上表面原频反向散射信号估计沉积层阻抗,计算沉积层密度从而解决和声速的耦合性,通过水池试验验证了该方法的有效性。     

一种基于序贯估计的直达声区水面舰船被动测距方法

该文利用基于射线的盲解卷积方法,从直达声区的水面舰船噪声中提取出船和锚系于海底的垂直接收阵之间的时域信道响应,并利用直达波在不同阵元相对于参考阵元的到达时间差,通过序贯方法,利用射线模型和声速剖面信息,对水面舰船距接收阵的距离进行了估计。通过处理海深约为580 m的2016年美国圣巴巴拉海峡的实验数据,对1.6～3.5 km直达声区范围内Anna Maersk商船与垂直阵之间的距离进行了估计,验证了测距方法的有效性,并将结果与系统测量值和几何方法的估计值进行了比较。由于该方法不需要对海底参数进行估计,所以在海底参数未知时要优于传统匹配场方法;在声速剖面存在跃层且海底为多层分布的复杂信道条件下,该方法仍能对距离进行有效估计,且与测量值的相对误差在6%以内,小于几何方法的估计误差,测距结果精度较高。     

利用宽带声场干涉结构特性对移动船只距离的连续估计

浅海移动船只的宽带辐射声场在距离-频率上通常表现为有规则的干涉条纹结构,这些条纹的特性(数目和斜率)可用波导不变量理论来表征并已被用于多种水声反演问题中,如沉积层声学参数反演和宽带声源距离的估计。基于波导不变量理论和干涉条纹的结构特性,利用扩展卡尔曼滤波器分析移动船只LOFAR图中干涉条纹的距离-频率特征可对其距离进行连续估计。该方法不需要海洋环境的信息和前向拷贝声场计算,具有较高的计算效率。海试数据处理结果和GPS数据计算结果比较一致,证实了本方法的准确性。试验数据处理同样证实该方法对初始距离的选择有着较高的稳健性。      

Acoustic multipath structure in direct zone of deep water and bearing estimation of tow ship noise of towed line array

In the towed line array sonar system, the tow ship noise is the main factor that affects the sonar performance. Conventional noise cancelling methods assume that the noise is towards the endfire direction of the array. An acoustic experiment employing a towed line array is conducted in the western Pacific Ocean, and a strange bearing-splitting phenomenon of the tow ship noise is observed in the array. The tow ship noise is split into multiple noise signals whose bearings are distributed between 10° and 90° deviating from the endfire direction. The multiple interferences increase the difficulty in recognizing the target for the sonar operator and noise cancellation. Therefore, making the mechanism clear and putting forward the tow ship noise splitting bearing estimation method are imperative. In this paper, the acoustic multi-path structure of the tow ship in deep water is analyzed. Then it is pointed out that the bearing-splitting phenomenon is caused by the main lobe of direct rays and bottom-reflected rays, as well as several side lobes of direct rays. Meanwhile, the indistinguishability between the elevation angle and the bearing angle due to the axial symmetry of a strict horizontal line array causes the bearing to deviate from the endfire direction. Based on the theory above, a method of estimating bearing of the tow ship noise in deep water is proposed. The theoretical analysis results accord with the experimental results, which helps to identify the target and provide correct initial bearing guidance for noise cancelation methods.