Hearing thresholds of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for sweeps (1-2 kHz and 6-7 kHz bands) mimicking naval sonar signals

The distance at which active naval sonar signals can be heard by harbor porpoises depends, among other factors, on the hearing thresholds of the species for those signals. Therefore the hearing sensitivity of a harbor porpoise was determined for 1 s up-sweep and down-sweep signals, mimicking mid-frequency and low-frequency active sonar sweeps (MFAS, 6-7 kHz band; LFAS, 1-2 kHz band). The 1-2 kHz sweeps were also tested with harmonics, as sonars sometimes produce these as byproducts of the fundamental signal. The hearing thresholds for up-sweeps and down-sweeps within each sweep pair were similar. The 50% detection threshold sound pressure levels (broadband, averaged over the signal duration) of the 1-2 kHz and 6-7 kHz sweeps were 75 and 67 dB re 1 μPa(2), respectively. Harmonic deformation of the 1-2 kHz sweeps reduced the threshold to 59 dB re 1 μPa(2). This study shows that the presence of harmonics in sonar signals can increase the detectability of a signal by harbor porpoises, and that tonal audiograms may not accurately predict the audibility of sweeps. LFAS systems, when designed to produce signals without harmonics, can operate at higher source levels than MFAS systems, at similar audibility distances for porpoises.     

Calculation of the reverberation spectrum for Doppler-based sonar

For monostatic sonar using long pulsed tone signals, the problem of evaluating the spectrum of reverberation due to sound wave scattering by a rough sea surface is solved. Relatively simple computational schemes are proposed, which make it possible (i) to transform the three-dimensional spectra of surface waves to the frequency-angular characteristics of reverberation and (ii) to choose the optimal operating frequency band for a Doppler sonar from the point of view of reverberation. For typical wind wave characteristics measured in shallow water areas, the spectral levels of reverberation are estimated in the frequency band of acoustic signals within 0.4?C2 kHz.     

水下隔声结构设计及评价方法

为使用混响法快捷地测量水下结构物的辐射噪声,需基于港口或海岸建造海上混响水池。针对内外都是水情况下的海上混响水池壁面隔声问题,设计了一种带梁空气夹层板水下隔声结构,通过仿真比较了不同参数的空气夹层板的隔声性能。为评价声波无规入射情况下水下大尺寸隔声结构隔声性能,提出了一种混响评价方法,通过隔声实验比较了混响法与脉冲法的不同。结果表明：带梁空气夹层板的水下隔声性能优异,声波无规入射情况下,面板厚度0.015 m、空气层厚度0.020 m的带梁空气夹层板在2～10 kHz频段插入损失大于20 dB;混响法可以有效评价大尺寸水下隔声结构的平均隔声性能,其反映的声波无规入射的平均隔声性能更接近于实际应用情况。     

Variation in humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) song length in relation to low-frequency sound broadcasts

Humpback whale song lengths were measured from recordings made off the west coast of the island of Hawai'i in March 1998 in relation to acoustic broadcasts ("pings") from the U.S. Navy SURTASS Low Frequency Active sonar system. Generalized additive models were used to investigate the relationships between song length and time of year, time of day, and broadcast factors. There were significant seasonal and diurnal effects. The seasonal factor was associated with changes in the density of whales sighted near shore. The diurnal factor was associated with changes in surface social activity. Songs that ended within a few minutes of the most recent ping tended to be longer than songs sung during control periods. Many songs that were overlapped by pings, and songs that ended several minutes after the most recent ping, did not differ from songs sung in control periods. The longest songs were sung between 1 and 2 h after the last ping. Humpbacks responded to louder broadcasts with longer songs. The fraction of variation in song length that could be attributed to broadcast factors was low. Much of the variation in humpback song length remains unexplained.     

收、发分置混响平均强度理论预报

建立双基地混响几何模型,推导出收、发分置混响的平均强度估算公式。考察双基地远程界面混响,对于漫散射界面,散射区为一椭圆环带,分别给出柱面波声场和球面波声场情况下,无指向性收、发分置混响的平均强度估算公式。给出窄波束接收阵时,双基地声呐的混响级和信混比的估算公式。仿真表明,椭圆模型可以方便准确的预报双基地混响强度及研究其特征规律,便于双基地声呐系统集成,适合工程应用。      

波场合成中声像感知距离重建

声像距离是声像位置的重要信息,为了完整地描述重建声场中感知声像位置,需在虚拟声场中重建出声像距离。本文基于人耳对距离的感知机理,将镜像法引入波场合成技术中,通过模拟反射声来控制感知声像距离。基于"比较判断律"的主观测听实验表明:通过模拟房间反射声受试者更明显地感受到声像距离的变化,并且变化规律与人耳对距离的感知机理相符合。因此在基于波场合成的声重放系统中,通过模拟反射声和有效地控制反射声能量可以准确地重建出声像距离。      

双基地冰-水界面混响强度的理论预报

针对北极冰层冰水界面具有小尺度粗糙界面的情况,给出由冰层造成的混响平均强度的理论预报公式。首先将北极冰层等效为具有粗糙界面的弹性介质,并且采用小粗糙度微扰理论在精细拟合粗糙度谱的基础上,建立粗糙冰层的三维散射强度模型,然后建立三维双基地声呐几何模型确定有效散射区域,最后给出双基地冰下混响平均强度的估算公式,并在所拟合的粗糙度谱的情况下,利用该预报公式计算双基地声呐配置参数和海冰物理及声学特性对冰下混响强度的影响算例。数值仿真表明该公式能够估算出北极冰下双基地声呐产生的混响平均强度,并且分析出了时延、基线长度等声呐配置参数和冰层声速比、密度比等海冰物理参数会对混响强度造成的影响。声呐的配置参数主要影响散射的有效面积,海冰的物理参数则影响着冰层的散射强度。其中,冰层声速比不仅影响混响强度的大小,还会影响混响强度随时间的衰减速度。      

Reverberation times and speech transmission indices in classrooms

Octave band reverberation times, background noise levels and speech transmission indices measurements were carried out in eighteen government subsidized primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. Various normal classroom operation conditions were considered. Results illustrate that strong correlation exists between the reverberation times and the speech transmission indices regardless of the background noise levels and their NC values in the present study. The arithmetic average of the reverberation times in the 250 Hz to 4 Hz octave bands and the 1 kHz octave band reverberation time are found to be more important in the correlation in general. These findings provide a convenient mean for speech transmission design in classrooms.     

改进次最佳检测在侧扫声呐底混响抑制中的应用*

侧扫声呐进行沉底小目标探测时,底混响是主要背景干扰。底混响通常是一种非平稳、非高斯的带限噪声,它使得白噪声条件下的滤波器性能受到限制。在混响背景下常利用自回归模型对接收信号进预行白化处理,但对于实际侧扫声呐应用,白化后直接匹配滤波的处理效果不甚理想。针对此问题,在自回归模型预白化的基础上,提出采用一种次最佳检测与多分辨二分奇异值分解相结合的改进方法。该方法首先对接收信号进行分段处理,利用改进Burg算法估计每段数据自回归模型的系数及阶数;然后构造白化滤波器对分段数据预白化,并对白化后的数据进行多分辨二分奇异值分解;最后应用ostu方法对原始声图和处理后的声图进行目标检测。仿真与实验结果表明,该方法明显提高了信混比,改善了侧扫声呐沉底静态小目标的成图质量,有利于后期实现基于图像的目标自动检测。     

基于信道传播理论的多基地远程海底混响研究

针对浅海多基地远程海底混响, 以声传播的线性信道近似理论为基础, 通过确定海底界面的不均匀起伏特性, 对入射声波的远距离异地混响脉冲响应函数进行求解. 对非水平分层介质的浅海波导, 利用绝热简正波求解信道的传输函数, 得出了小角度斜坡海底的远程海底混响强度, 以下坡海底为例, 分析对比了不同海底倾角斜坡海底对远程异地混响强度及其衰减规律的影响. 理论仿真表明, 波导的传输效应对多基地远程海底混响强度的影响不可忽略.     

Numerical solutions of the acoustic eigenvalue equation in the rectangular room with arbitrary (uniform) wall impedances

Two numerical procedures for finding the acoustic eigenvalues in the rectangular room with arbitrary (uniform) wall impedances are developed. One numerical procedure applies Newton's method. Here, starting with soft walls, the eigenvalues are found by increasing the impedances of each wall pair in small increments up to the terminal impedances. Another procedure poses the eigenvalue problem as one of homotopic continuation from a non-physical reference configuration in which all eigenvalues are known and obvious. The continuation is performed by the numerical integration of two differential equations. The latter procedure was found to be faster and finds all possible solutions. The set of eigenvalues allowed the room modal natural frequencies and damping constants to be obtained. From sound decays measured in a hard-walled rectangular room, and from the collective-modal-decay curve, the impedances of the hard walls are estimated. These are then used to find the reverberation times of the modes in the room with the floor lined with sound absorbing material of known acoustic impedance. It was found that a single reverberation time, for all modes, is only supported in the rectangular room with hard walls and at the higher frequency bands, consistent with Sabine's theory, which assumes a diffuse sound field. In the rectangular room with hard walls and at the lower frequency bands, and in the rectangular room with the floor lined with sound absorbing material and for all frequency bands, modes with rather distinctive reverberation times may produce sound decays not always consistent with Sabine's prediction.     

基于数学形态学的声纳主动探测信息净化方法

针对主动声呐探测画面中混响和被动条状干扰问题,提出了一种基于数学形态学滤波的主动探测信息净化方法。该算法通过研究数学形态学滤波器的频响特性,构造与主动声呐探测画面中目标频率特性匹配的结构元素,然后对主动声呐探测画面进行形态学滤波处理,估计主动声呐探测画面的干扰背景,最后进行探测信息净化,并利用形态学滤波对净化后图像进行增强。海试数据处理结果表明,该文方法能够有效抑制低频被动条状干扰以及混响背景,使点状目标在图像中表现更为明显,更有利于目标检测。     

Algorithms for converting 3D surface roughness spectra when calculating frequency-angle reverberation characteristics

On the basis of an earlier developed model of sound scattering by surface disturbances characterized by 3D roughness spectra, we propose and test a sufficiently fast algorithm for calculating the spectral power density of surface reverberation that takes into account the propagation conditions, distance, and beam pattern of the receiver system. For a distance of up to 1000 m, a water area depth of ??20 m, and actually measured 3D roughness spectra in the Doppler frequency range of ±5 Hz, we have calculated the frequency-angle reverberation spectra for an acoustic background-radiation signal of 1.5 kHz. The obtained angle and frequency reverberation characteristics are compared with the results of acoustic measurements conducted using linear horizontal receiver antennas.     

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.     

Behavioral vocal response thresholds to mating calls in the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

Male bullfrogs will vocalize in response to playbacks of the mating (advertisement) calls of conspecifics. This behavior was studied in response to playbacks of bullfrog mating calls presented at six different sound intensity levels. The lowest sound intensity level tested (50 dB SPL) was insufficient to evoke calling from any of the animals. Calling was evoked by playback levels of 60 dB SPL and higher. The data suggest that behavioral evoked calling thresholds lie between 50-60 dB SPL for these animals. Playback intensity levels of 80 dB SPL were more effective in evoking responses than were intensity levels up to 20 dB higher or lower. This was true both in terms of the total number of evoked responses and the trial number at which responding ceased. Moreover, significantly less habituation of evoked calling occurred at levels of 80 dB SPL than at higher or lower levels. The data suggest that a sound pressure level of 80 dB represents a behaviorally preferred intensity level for evoked calling in the bullfrog. Field recordings of bullfrog choruses show that the intensity produced by an individual calling male reaches a level of 80 dB SPL at a distance of 1 m. This intensity level is identical to that producing maximal evoked calling in the laboratory.     

A study on effect of sonochemistry in a reverberation field

In this paper,an ultrasound with frequency of 815 kHz was used to re-search the sonochemical yield in a small-size reverberation field by the methodof fluorescent spectrum analysis.There are two characteristics on the effect ofsonochemistry in the reverberation field:First,the cavitation threshold wasabout 0.3W/cm~2(it was 0.7W/cm~2 in travelling field);Second,when thesound intensity was larger than the threshold,the sonochemical yield increasedas the intensity increased and increased rapidly after the intensity was at1.69-2.13W/cm~2,so that there was a upturned point in the curve of the result(which would tend to saturation in the travelling field).The theoretical analysisshows that the reason of the threshold decrease is that the sound energy densitybecomes high in the reverberation field,and the upturned point results from thedisturbance of the radiation pressure on the liquid surface.Therefore,by exper-iment and theory this paper shows that a reverberation field has to be built forthe higher sonoche     

Prediction of underwater sound levels from rain and wind

Wind and rain generated ambient sound from the ocean surface represents the background baseline of ocean noise. Understanding these ambient sounds under different conditions will facilitate other scientific studies. For example, measurement of the processes producing the sound, assessment of sonar performance, and helping to understand the influence of anthropogenic generated noise on marine mammals. About 90 buoy-months of ocean ambient sound data have been collected using Acoustic Rain Gauges in different open-ocean locations in the Tropical Pacific Ocean. Distinct ambient sound spectra for various rainfall rates and wind speeds are identified through a series of discrimination processes. Five divisions of the sound spectra associated with different sound generating mechanisms can be predicted using wind speed and rainfall rate as input variables. The ambient sound data collected from the Intertropical Convergence Zone are used to construct the prediction algorithms, and are tested on the data from the Western Pacific Warm Pool. This physically based semi-empirical model predicts the ambient sound spectra (0.5-50 kHz) at rainfall rates from 2-200 mm/h and wind speeds from 2 to 14 m/s.     

Orthogonal acoustical factors of a sound field in a bamboo forest.

To investigate the acoustical quality of a sound field in a bamboo forest, acoustical measurements were conducted to obtain orthogonal acoustical factors of the sound field. These results are compared with previous results for a sound field in an ordinary forest [H. Sakai, S. Sato, and Y. Ando, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104, 1491-1497 (1998)]. The IACC, which is defined as a maximum value of the normalized interaural cross-correlation function between signals at the ears, was 0.07 (4 kHz) and 0.16 (2 kHz) at positions 20 and 40 m from the source, respectively. These values are much better than those in the previously investigated forest. The measured subsequent reverberation time Tsub was up to 1.5 s in the frequency range above 1 kHz at the position 40 m from the source. For certain music sources with higher frequency components, therefore, sound fields in a bamboo forest have excellent acoustic properties.     

激光致声换能器的实验与应用论证

设计制造了激光致声发射换能器,并进行了水槽实验,测量、计算了激光声信号的距离分辨力、声源级、指向性函数、指向性指数,分析了实验值与理论值误差产生的原因;计算了噪声背景和混响背景下对目标的探测距离;从理论上论证了探测沉底目标的可行性;分析了该换能器的信息传输速率、指向性和通信距离.     

水声信号稀疏重构高分辨角度-多普勒成像

针对傅氏空时二维谱估计分辨率低以及声呐空时采样数据样本数不足给角度-多普勒成像带来困难的问题,提出一种水声信号稀疏重构的高分辨角度-多普勒成像方法和抗混响空时滤波器的稀疏重构方法.该方法在声呐阵列单测量向量的极少观测样本条件下,建立阵列信号的空时稀疏表示模型,应用稀疏表示的匹配追踪算法和基追踪算法重构回波与混响的高分辨...