Performance analysis of an acoustic time reversal system in dynamic and random oceanic environments.

This dissertation provides a theoretical framework along with specific performance predictions for an acoustic time reversal system in shallow oceanic environments. Acoustic time-reversal is a robust means of retrofocusing acoustic energy, in both time and space, to the original sound-source location without any information about the acoustic environment in which it is deployed. The effect of three performance limiting oceanic complexities addressed, include (i) ambient noise field, (ii) reflection and volume scattering from a deterministic soliton internal wave traveling on the thermocline between two water masses, and (iii) volume scattering from a random superposition of linear internal waves convecting a gradient in the sound speed profile. The performance analysis establishes acoustic time reversal to be a promising technology for a two-way communication system in an oceanic medium. For an omni-directional noisy environment a general formulation for the probability of retrofocusing is developed that includes the effect of the medium, accounts for the system hardware and the acoustic parameters. Monte-Carlo simulations in both, a free-space environment and a shallow-ocean sound-channel environment compare well with theory. A 41 element TRA spanning a shallow water depth of 60 m is predicted to return a 70% focal probability at -15 dB SNR for a source to array range of 6 km. Preliminary research with broadband signals suggest that they should outperform narrowband response in both free space and sound channel environments. The impact of the nonlinear solitary waves is addressed using a two-path Green's function to treat the presence of a flat thermocline, and the single scattering Born approximation to address scattering from the soliton internal wave. It is predicted that a stationary soliton located along ray turning paths between the source and the TRA can lead to both enhanced and degraded focal performance. Based on extension of previous research in wave propagation through diffuse internal wave field it is predicted that at 1 kHz and a range of 10 km, the focal half-life should persist approximately 40 sec, enough time for three round-trips between the source and the array.PhDAcousticsApplied SciencesMechanical engineeringPure SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132609/2/9977193.pd