Experimental demonstration of geoacoustic tracking using particle filters.

Abstract

This paper discusses practical aspects and performance of particle filters in geoacoustic inversion using data from the MAPEX experiment north of Elba Island, Italy in 2000. The particle filter enables spatial and temporal tracking of environmental parameters and their underlying probability densities, making geoacoustic tracking a natural extension to geoacoustic inversion techniques. The setup includes a ship-towed horizontal line array and a moored, broadband acoustic source in a shallow water environment. The ship track includes two sharp turns that cause bending of the array. The particle filter is used to track the ship parameters (range, bearing, and speed), array parameters (tilt and bow), and environmental parameters (water depth and sediment sound speed). The filter performance is discussed for both the fast turns and the straight, constant velocity sections of the ship track. The results are compared with the inversion results obtained using genetic algorithms. [Work supported by ONR.]