A fast beamforming algorithm for planar/volumetric arrays

Beamforming is a primary processing task undertaken in many sonar systems. In this paper, an algorithm for frequency domain formation of steered beams is developed. The method, based on the chirp z-transform (CZT), is applicable to arrays with regular geometries, which can be viewed as being comprised of multiple line array segments. Computational and memory requirements of the algorithm are derived. The algorithm, which is an exact beamformer, is shown to require significantly less computation and only a fraction of the memory needed by a direct approach.