Research on source depth classification using multiple vector hydrophones

In the low-frequency shallow water, the sign of the active component of pressure and horizontal velocity cross spectrum of double vector hydrophones varies with source depth and distance between source and receivers regularly. This character can be used to determine the source location relative to a critical depth. In this paper, several vertically located vector hydrophones are simulated and the sign distributions of the active component of pressure and horizontal velocity cross spectrum of every two vector hydrophones are achieved. Based on the sign distributions, several critical depths are obtained and by determining the source location relative to all the critical depths, the depth scope of source is estimated. In some depth range, the critical depth can be predicted by placing the vector hydrophones properly. The simulation results indicate that the depth scope of source in the low-frequency shallow water can be estimated effectively with this method.