Joint Vector Sensor Beam Steering and Passive Time Reversal for Underwater Acoustic Communications

This paper investigates how to advantageously combine acoustic vector sensor field components for underwater communications. The joint beam steering and passive time-reversal receiver structure is proposed compared against standard separately. method takes into account proper directions in order benefit from highly correlated channels. On the other hand, was weighted avoid combinations of possible noisy Performance structures are quantified using simulation recorded data a shallow-water experiment. In this experiment, four-element three-dimensional array tied drifting ship receiving coherent communication signals bottom-moored sound source. Analytical expressions numerical based on experimental scenario indicate relationship between source-receiver ranges channels correlation, providing an initial understanding suitability each structure. Then, individual or combined sensors, such were tested with data, where range hypothesis nearly confirmed. Error analysis shows that shorter favor steering, whereas channel diversity mostly explored longer ranges. Furthermore, method, designed has achieved up ten times less error than approaches, also showing exploring beamforming together.