Using AUVs and Sources of Opportunity to Evaluate Acoustic Propagation

The objective of this project is to develop an ambient noise sonar system which can be mounted to an autonomous underwater vehicle or used as a stand alone platform to carry out noise surveys, track vehicles, to use sources of opportunity for target detection and image bubbles underneath breaking waves. The system is also being used to study the ambient noise in the South Florida Test Facility. New signal processing methods have been developed for this array which are best suited to the analysis of wide band signals typical of noise in the ocean. One of the objectives during the past twelve months has been to extend these concepts to active sonars for miniature AUVs.