Modeling the acoustic vector field to simulate glider-based acoustic processing methods

The feasibility of underwater gliders as passive acoustic receiving platforms is explored through simulated data. Over the last decade gliders have proven their worth as operational platforms to the oceanographic community, yet their merits as acoustic sensing platforms remain largely under-explored. Recently, the Office of Naval Research has equipped the Naval Postgraduate School with several gliders, which have now been fitted with acoustic vector sensors. To simulate real-world performance, the intensity vector field is modeled using the three-dimensional Cartesian version of the Monterey-Miami parabolic equation (MMPE) algorithm, which relies upon a split-step Fourier approach. Environmental information representative of the glider’s sawtooth profile is incorporated as a three-dimensional sound speed profile, and incorporated into the PE model. These simulated data serve as the basis for signal processing techniques applicable to glider-based experimentation.