High-Frequency Acoustic Propagation and Adaptive Signal Processing: An Integrated Research Program

Abstract : The long term goals are two-fold. The first is to develop an improved understanding of how acoustic signals propagate through the ocean and how this propagation effects the characteristics of received acoustic signals. The second goal is to use this improved understanding to improve the ability to quantify the performance of adaptive signal processing algorithms in realistic ocean environments and to develop more capable signal processing algorithms. The objective of this work is to combine the analysis of high-frequency acoustic propagation with the development and analysis of adaptive signal processing algorithms. The application of current interest is underwater acoustic communications so the research is conducted within that context. The specific objectives are to 1. Develop statistical characterizations of the underwater acoustic channel which are useful for the development and analysis of adaptive signal processing algorithms. 2. Determine the predictability of the deterministic and statistical characteristics of the underwater acoustic channel. 3. Develop techniques to quantify the performance of least squares adaptive algorithms in the presense of realistic acoustic channel fluctuations. 4. Develop new adaptive algorithms which exploit characteristics of the underwater acoustic environment to improve performance.