Initial Investigation into the Methodologies to be used for Helicopter-BasedBistatic Sonar in Shallow Water

摘要

This thesis is an initial investigation into bistatic application of helicopter-based sonars in a shallow water environment. It takes the bistatic sonar equation and applies it in shallow water. Using assumptions for environmental parameters in a general case study, this analysis then examines obtainable ranges for the equipment described. The source is a dipping sonar operating at 3.5 kHz and the receiver is a sonobuoy comparable in specifications to the SQS-53B, Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (DIFAR), sonobuoy currently in use in the fleet. The DIFAR sonobuoy capabilities are assumed to have the expanded capabilities of larger bandwidth to include the frequency of the dipping sonar and a memory to allow the helicopter to analyze the sonobuoy data after departing its hover regime. Results from the case study show a positive Signal Excess (SE) beyond 14000 meters. This study also includes an annotated bibliography of pertinent readings from literature searches in Appendix B to assist future research related to this topic.