Localization Through Acoustic Amplitude Ranging Techniques

A prodedure is described for localization of an underwater sound source through measurement of the sound pressure levels in the water at several receivers. Although ´acoustic ranging´ techniques have significant drawbacks, especially limited information at the receiver on the source level and the attenuation of the transmisson path, the procedure uses iterative digital processing to determine the best solution, given a particular set of circumstances. A particularly attractive byproduct of the procedure is the value of the source level associated with the best solution. Successive application of the procedure provides course and speed of the sound source.