Adaptive Active Sonar Reception in Shallow Water Using Vertical Array Outputs Covariance Matrix Eigenvalues: Experimental Results

Abstract

Classical vertical active sonar reception systems performances fell down in different situations such as coherent background noise, presence of undesired additionnal noise correlated with the expected signal, or multipath propagating signal conditions. Some of or all these conditions, the last one in particular, may be encountered when working in shallow water.

It is proved that, in that case, processes using the outputs covariance matrix eigenvalues may improve these performances. Eigenvalues diagram evolutions are analyzed in each case, solutions to the detection problem are listed, and experimental results are presented, allowing comparisons between different “classical” receivers and “eigenvalues” receivers outputs.