Underwater acoustics

Many acoustic targets of interest contain features that are periodic in space. This thesis demonstrates that a chirp waveform, 2 kHz to 12 kHz, can detect repetitive structures with periods in the range of 0.125 m to 0.75 m. As aspect angle increases from 0 deg to 90 deg, a frequency shift in the range of 830 Hz to 4800 Hz will occur as the period decreases from 0.75 to 0.125 m. It follows that, spectral analysis can aid in target identification. A sonar propagation model has been developed to simulate the acoustic backscattered energy of a target with periodic characteristics in the presence of seafloor scattering. Examining the spectral components, with appropriate time gating, can achieve a gain of 7 dB at 3100 m.

The need for reliable underwater communication at Florida Atlantic University is critical in transmitting data to and from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and remote sensors. Since a received signal is corrupted with ambient ocean noise, the nature of such noise is investigated. Furthermore, we establish connection between ambient ocean noise and fractal noise. Since the matched filter is designed under the assumption that noise is white, performance degradation of the matched filter due non-white noise is investigated. We show empirical results that the wavelet transform provides an approximate Karhunen-Loeve expansion for 1/f-type noise. Since whitening can improve only broadband signals, a new method for synchronization signal design in wavelet subspaces with increased energy-to-peak amplitude ratio is presented. The wavelet detector with whitening of fractal noise and detection in wavelet subspace is shown. Results show that the wavelet detector improves detectability, however this is below expectation due to differences between fractal noise and ambient ocean noise.

This thesis presents the design and implementation of an underwater network communication protocol. The goal is to enable several autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to form a communication network and to exchange information during at-sea missions. The focus of this work is on the upper layers of the protocol: Network and Transport layers. Routing is a critical issue since all the nodes forming the network are moving. A study and comparison of existing routing algorithms is presented. Two routing algorithms have been chosen and implemented in the network layer of the protocol: Flooding and Destination Sequence Distance Vector Routing. The protocol has been tested on several types of simulated missions. An analysis of the results is proposed for each mission.

The behavior of radially polarized free-flooded ring (FFR) transducers is studied for application in underwater acoustic communications. Theoretical models are first presented. Then the finite element method (FEM) is introduced and a FEM model for the FFR transducer is proposed. Experimental data are collected and compared to the simulation results with good correspondence. A series of FEM simulations lead then to optimum geometrical parameters for a fine-tuned FFR transducer dedicated to underwater acoustic communications. Finally, stack transducers models and the piezocomposite technology are presented as possible improvement of the present transducer.

A numerical model that simulates the operation of a Forward Look Scan Sonar (FLSS) has been developed in this thesis. The model discretizes the sonar-projected signal by a set of rays using a geometrical approach. Bending of the rays due to varying acoustic wave speed is neglected. Simulated raw sonar data are generated, and used as input in the sonar processing algorithms to generate sonar images. Using the model, the influence of, the most critical characteristics of the sonar, including phase variations among the channels, non-homogeneous channel amplitude, and the number of bad channels, on the quality of the sonar image is determined. The results of the model are compared to real data from a low frequency FLS sonar (250 KHz) and a high frequency FLS sonar (600 KHz). There is good matching between the simulation and the operation of the two sonars and the performance was markedly enhanced by using the modeling results.

High-resolution sound propagation measurements were made on a 1/10000 th-scale model of the Santa Lucia Escarpment, located off the Southern California coast. The tank was modified from previous experiments using a rubber coating on the tank bottom. High frequency, high resolution, Transmission Loss measurements were made on the SFTF range, Dania Florida. The Parabolic Equation Model RAM was used to validate these measurement sets. A new approach to account for shear wave effects on the Transmission Loss for the RAM model was developed. Using this new approach, the scaled low frequency Santa Lucia measurements showed excellent agreement with the RAM calculated TL, but there were discrepancies in the predictions of the high frequency at sea measurements at ranges greater than 1 km.

This project consisted of a feasibility study to ascertain whether or not an inexpensive acoustic modem for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) could be developed using low cost commercially available products. Our AUV's at Florida Atlantic University currently use LonWorks for their internal control networks, so we have plenty of experience with their parts. The LonWorks Power Line Transceivers are capable of generating a signal that can be sent to a transducer for communication through the water. The PLT-30 Power Line Transceiver generates a direct sequence spread spectrum signal (DSSS) that offers many useful operating features; such as anti-jam, interference rejection and covert communications, low intercept probability, and most importantly, multipath protection. After numerous tests, however, the system was incapable of establishing reliable acoustic communications. We conclude that the PLT-30 Power Line Transceiver use as an underwater acoustic modem is not a viable approach. As an alternative method, communication through an electric current field was tested in a salt-water pool. The initial test produced a 100% success rate.

Ocean ambient noise has been studied extensively in the past, and several models have been developed to predict its level and to characterize it in different ocean environments. However, most of these studies have been motivated by the need to reduce the negative effect of the ambient noise on measurements. Recently, several studies have used the ambient noise to obtain information about the ocean floor and to achieve passive target detection. This dissertation describes the development of an Ambient Noise Sonar (ANS) which can be used to measure ambient noise directivity to obtain information about the environment. The system was designed for use on an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and has been used to study the ambient noise in the near shore region by investigating different types of noise in shallow water, such as boat traffic, biological noise and naturally occurring noise up to 20 kHz. There are two advantages to the ANS. First, when mounted on an AUV its mobility will allow the ambient noise to be mapped over an extended area. Second, the very small number of transducers (6 total) used in the array, makes this system suitable for AUV operations because it uses a limited amount of space and power. This dissertation presents the theory of the array processing and preliminary results including examples of boat noise, and biological noise. It was found that the noise from biological sources such as snapping shrimp contributed to the anisotropic component of the acoustic field. These biological sources were found to be concentrated around artificial structures such as piers and groins, and also around natural reefs. Finally noise maps of coastal areas are presented to illustrate the potential of this system to measure the noise field in the coastal region and to evaluate acoustic propagation using passive sources such as the biological noise clusters found along the coast. In the future the ANS will be integrated onto the AUV 'Ocean Explorer II'.