Adaptive Passive Fathometer Processing

Recently, a technique has been developed to image seabed layers using the ocean ambient noise field as the sound source. This so called passive fathometer technique exploits the naturally occurring acoustic sounds generated on the sea-surface, primarily from breaking waves. The method is based on the cross-correlation of noise from the ocean surface with its echo from the seabed, which recovers travel times to significant seabed reflectors. To limit averaging time and make this practical, beamforming is used with a vertical array of hydrophones to reduce interference from horizontally propagating noise. The initial development used conventional beamforming, but significant improvements have been realized using adaptive techniques. In this paper, adaptive methods for this process are described and applied to several data sets to demonstrate improvements possible as compared to conventional processing

Statistical estimation of source location in presence of geoacoustic inversion uncertainty

Abstract: A statistical estimation of source location incorporating uncertainty in ocean environmental model parameters is derived using a Bayesian approach. From a previous geoacoustic inversion, a posterior probability distribution of the environmental parameters that reflects uncertainty in the ocean environment is obtained. This geoacoustic uncertainty then is mapped into uncertainty in the acoustic pressure field and is propagated through the Bartlett matched-field processor for source localization. Using data from the ASIAEX 2001 East China Sea experiment, the estimated source location and variability over time are compared with the known source positions

Development of extinction imagers for the determination of atmospheric optical extinction: final report

The primary goals of this project for JTO and ONR (Grant N00014-07-1-1060) were to further develop Extinction Imagers for use in the ocean environment, and to extend the capabilities into the Short Wave IR (SWIR). Extinction Imaging is a method for determining the effective extinction coefficient over an extended path using a sensor at one end of the path. It uses calibrated imagers to acquire the relative radiance of a dark target near the other the end of the path and the horizon sky in the direction of the dark target. It is completely passive and thus covert, and the hardware is robust and relatively inexpensive. It uses rigorous equations, which determine the extinction coefficient from the measured apparent contrast of the radiance of the dark target with respect to the horizon sky. The project was very successful. We found that the ocean surface could readily be used as a dark target in red and SWIR wavelengths. Both the red and the SWIR measurement results were excellent for daytime. Comparisons with standard instruments, as well as uncertainty analysis, indicated that extinction imagers provide better measurements of the atmospheric extinction losses over extended paths than other methods of which we are aware. Our secondary goals were to address the night regime, and to address slanted paths above the horizontal. Regarding night, we found that the visible sensor acquired excellent data, but the ocean surface was not a good dark target in our wavelengths. Recommendations on the handling of night are given in the report. Regarding the lines of sight above the horizon, we developed a slant path algorithm that determines beam transmittance. It performed very well. Recommendations are made regarding integration of these techniques for military applications.Joint Technology Office via Office of Naval ResearchGrant N00014-07-1-106

Performance of MISO Time Reversal Ultra-wideband over an 802.15.3a Channel Model

Abstract-This paper analyzes the performance of a baseband multiple-input single-output (MISO) time reversal ultrawideband system (TR-UWB) over the IEEE 802.15.3a channel model. Two scenarios are considered, CM1 based on LOS (0-4m) channel measurements and CM3 based on NLOS (4-10m) channel measurements. A semi-analytical performance expression is derived and compared with simulation results in terms of the number of antenna elements, number of users, and transmission rate. The results show that the system performance is improved with an increase in the number of transmit antenna elements and that additional equalization and multiple access enhancement schemes are necessary for high transmission rates

The genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes

The genetic architecture of common traits, including the number, frequency, and effect sizes of inherited variants that contribute to individual risk, has been long debated. Genome-wide association studies have identified scores of common variants associated with type 2 diabetes, but in aggregate, these explain only a fraction of heritability. To test the hypothesis that lower-frequency variants explain much of the remainder, the GoT2D and T2D-GENES consortia performed whole genome sequencing in 2,657 Europeans with and without diabetes, and exome sequencing in a total of 12,940 subjects from five ancestral groups. To increase statistical power, we expanded sample size via genotyping and imputation in a further 111,548 subjects. Variants associated with type 2 diabetes after sequencing were overwhelmingly common and most fell within regions previously identified by genome-wide association studies. Comprehensive enumeration of sequence variation is necessary to identify functional alleles that provide important clues to disease pathophysiology, but large-scale sequencing does not support a major role for lower-frequency variants in predisposition to type 2 diabetes