Self-locating system and methods for multistatic active coherent sonar

Abstract

Multistatic active coherent sonar systems and methods include reception by floating receiver sonobuoys of acoustic signals emitted by floating source sonobuoys, by both direct propagation from the source sonobuoys and reflection or scattering from a target object. Subsequent calculations based at least in part on those signals can be employed to estimate relative or absolute positions or velocities of the target object and the source and receiver sonobuoys. The estimated relative velocities and positions can be calculated without relying on GPS or other extrinsic positioning signals acquired for each sonobuoy after its deployment. Acoustic signals emitted by a stationary source on the seabed, received by a stationary receiver on the seabed, or reflected/scattered from a bathymetric feature, can be employed to estimate absolute or relative positions or velocities of the target object and the source and receiver sonobuoys.