Robust passive range estimation using the waveguide invariant

The waveguide invariant principle is used to estimate the range to a broadband acoustic source in a shallow-water waveguide using a single acoustic receiver towed along a path directly toward the acoustic source. A relationship between the signal processing parameters and the ocean-acoustic environmental parameters is used to increase the effective signal-to-noise ratio without requiring detailed knowledge of the environment. Heuristics are developed to estimate the minimum source bandwidth and minimum horizontal aperture required for range estimation. A range estimation algorithm is tested on experimental and simulated data for source ranges of 500-2200 m and frequencies from 350 to 700 Hz. The algorithm is accurate to within approximately 25% for the cases tested and requires only a minimal amount of a priori environmental knowledge. (C) 2010 Acoustical Society of America. [DOI: 10.1121/1.3337223]