Innovative Signal Processing Algorithms for Passive Broadband Detection, Classification, and Localization of Acoustic Targets in Shallow Waters

Changing operational requirements, especially in littoral warfare, necessitate the use of advanced signal processing algorithms capable of meeting the augmented challenges of detection, classification, and localization of acoustic targets in shallow waters, in a broadband context. The use of broadband acoustic signal processing requires proper formulation of the physical problem by means of an extended broadband target-medium model" that incorporates the new phenomenology, e.g., the dispersive time-varying characteristics of the propagation medium (sea) and the distinct effects of reverberation/multipath, clutter, and ambient noise. In the spirit of "revolutionary innovation" rather than "evolutionary extrapolation", Multispec Corporation proposes a truly innovative approach to broadband passive detection, classification, and localization of targets (i.e., acoustic sources of interest) that meets the emerging challenges with advanced, yet practical, signal processing technologies. MultiSpec's approach combines the extended target-medium model with advanced high-order signal processing (HOSP) to yield effective algorithms for passive broadband acoustic processing in the mid-frequency range. A variant of this approach is currently funded for the active case.