Modelling uncertainty in an underwater acoustic positioning system

Authors

  • Dugald Thomson School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
  • Stan E. Dosso School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
  • Emmett Gamroth Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
  • Colin Bradley Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada

Keywords:

Autonomous underwater vehicles, Equipment testing, Hydrophones, Underwater acoustics, Acoustic localization, Acoustic transmission, Arrival time, Environmental factors, Hydrophone geometry, Localization accuracy, Source location, Test range, Timing errors, Underwater acoustic positioning

Abstract

This paper develops a ray-based travel-time inversion to simulate the accuracy of an active underwater acoustic localization system, and examines the localization accuracy as a function of various sources of error and geometric and environmental factors. The system considered here simulates localizing an autonomous underwater vehicle using arrival times of acoustic transmissions from an onboard source as measured at hydrophones distributed spatially over a test range. Since localization uncertainty is a function of source location, uncertainties are calculated for the source at a grid of locations over the areas of the test bed. Localization accuracy is considered as a function of timing errors, uncertainty in hydrophone locations, target depth, variations in sound-speed profile, and hydrophone geometry.

Additional Files

Published

2012-03-01

How to Cite

1.
Thomson D, Dosso SE, Gamroth E, Bradley C. Modelling uncertainty in an underwater acoustic positioning system. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2012 Mar. 1 [cited 2025 Feb. 13];40(1):13-8. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2501

Issue

Vol. 40 No. 1 (2012)

Section

Technical Articles

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