Method for measuring self-noise of vector hydrophones

Abstract

The Vector Hydrophone (VH) is widely used to remotely detect underwater targets. Accurately measuring the self-noise of the VH provides an important basis for evaluating the performance of the detection system in which it is utilized, since the ability to acquire weak signals is determined by the VH self-noise level. To accurately measure the VH self-noise level in actual working conditions, the Dual-channel Transfer Function Method (DTFM) is proposed to reduce ambient background noise interference. In this paper, the underlying principles of DTFM in reducing ambient background noise is analyzed. The numerical simulations to determine the influence of ambient background noise, and the sensitivity difference of the two VHs on the measurement results are studied. The results of measuring the VH self-noise level in a small laboratory water tank by using DTMF indicate that ambient background noise interference can be reduced effectively by employing DTMF, more accurate self-noise level can be obtained as well. The DTMF provides an effective method for accurately measuring the self-noise level of VHs and also provides technical support for the practical application of the VH in underwater acoustics.

Keywords

self-noise / vector hydrophone / acoustic measurement / underwater transducer / transfer function method

References

[1] Abraham BM. Ambient noise measurements with vector acoustic hydrophones. IEEE OCEANS, 2006, 2006: 1-7

[2] Fang E, Hong L, Yang D. Self-noise analysis of the MEMS hydrophone. Journal of Harbin Engineering University, 2014, 35(3): 285-288

[3] Gabrielson TB. Mechanical-thermal noise in micromachined acoustic and vibration sensors. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 1993, 40(5): 903-909

[4] Gabrielson TB. Fundamental noise limits in micromachined acoustic and vibration sensors. Journal of Vibration & Acoustics, 1991, 117(4): 2354-2355

[5] Gabrielson TB. Modeling and measuring self-noise in velocity and acceleration sensors. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America., 1996, 368(1): 1-48

[6] Gerald LD, Luby JC, Wilson GR, Gramann RA. Vector sensors and vector sensor line arrays: comments on optimal array gain and detection. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2006, 120(1): 171-185

[7] Gordienko VA. Vector-phase methods in acoustics, 2014, Beijing: National Defense Industry Press, 184-189

[8] Guo Jun-Yuan, YANG Shi-E, PIAO Sheng-Chun, MO Ya-Xiao, 2016. Direction-of-arrival estimation based on superdirective multi-pole vector sensor array for low-frequency underwater sound sources. Acta Physica Sinica, 65(13). (in Chinese) DOI: 10.7498/aps.65.134303

[9] Guo X, YANG SE, Miron S. Low-frequency beamforming for a miniaturized aperture three-by-three uniform rectangular array of acoustic vector sensors. Acoust Soc Am, 2015, 138(6): 3873-3883

[10] Gür MB. Particle velocity gradient based acoustic mode beamforming for linear vector sensor arrays. IEEE Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2013, 1-4

[11] Korenbaum V, Tagiltsev A. Development of vector sensors for flexible towed array. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America., 2014, 135(4): 2396

[12] Levinzon F. Noise of the JFET amplifier. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Fundamental Theory and Applications, 2000, 47(7): 981-985

[13] Levinzon F. Fundamental noise limit of piezoelectric accelerometer. IEEE Sensors Journal, 2004, 4(1): 108-111

[14] Levinzon F. Ultra-low-noise seismic piezoelectric accelerometer with integral FET amplifier. Sensors Journal IEEE, 2012, 12(6): 2262-2268

[15] McEachern JF, McConnell JA, Jamieson J, Trivett D. ARAP-deep ocean vector sensor research array. IEEE OCEANS, 2006, 2006: 1-5

[16] Sherman CH, Butler JL. Transducers and arrays for underwater sound, 2007, New York: Springer

[17] Wilson OB. Introduction to theory and design of sonar transducers, 1988, Los Altos, CA: Peninsula Publishing

[18] Woollett RS. Hydrophone design for a receiving system in which amplifier noise is dominant. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1962, 34(4): 522

[19] Yang D, Hong L. Underwater vector sound field theory and its applications, 2013, Beijing: Science Press

[20] Yang D, Hong L. Theory and application introduction of vector hydrophone, 2009, Beijing: Science Press

[21] Yang SE. Directional pattern of a cross vector sensor array. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2012, 131(4): 3484-3484

[22] Young JW. Optimization of acoustic receiver noise performance. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1977, 61(6): 1471-1476

[23] Yuan W. Acoustic metrology, 2002, Beijing: Atomic Energy Press, 204-205

[24] Zou N, Nehorai A. Circular acoustic vector-sensor array for mode beamforming. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 2009, 57(8): 3041-3052