Source localization in the Haro Strait primer experiment using arrival time estimation and linearization

Modeling sound propagation in the Haro Strait is a challenging task, the site being complex and the sediment structure exhibiting a strong range dependence. The environmental complexities create difficulties for source localization using matched field processing because many of the parameters needed for replica calculation are uncertain or rapidly varying. Received time series from signal propagation at the site provide a wealth of information that can be exploited for source localization obviating the need for extensive environmental knowledge. In this paper, a Gibbs sampling-maximum a posteriori estimator is used to extract the direct path, first surface bounce, and first bottom bounce arrival times from time series received at vertical line arrays. Those times provide source and receiving phone location and water column depth estimates through a set of linear relationships. Estimates obtained with the proposed method for data collected during the Haro Strait primer experiment are very close to reference values for the unknown parameters.