title: An algorithm for the localization of multiple interfering sperm whales using multi-sensor time difference of arrival.
abstract: In this paper an algorithm is described for the localization of individual sperm whales in situations where several near-by animals are simultaneously vocalizing. The algorithm operates on time-difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements observed at sensor pairs and assumes no prior knowledge of the TDOA-whale associations. In other words, it solves the problem of associating TDOAs to whales. The algorithm is able to resolve association disputes where a given TDOA measurement may fit to more than one position estimate and can handle spurious TDOAs. The algorithm also provides estimates of Cramer-Rao lower bound for the position estimates. The algorithm was tested with real data using TDOA estimates obtained by cross-correlating click-trains. The click-trains were generated by a separate algorithm that operated independently on each sensor to produce click-trains corresponding to a given whale and to reject click-trains from reflected propagation paths.
authors.affiliation: Naval Undersea Warfare Center, 1176 Howell Street, Newport, Rhode Island 02841, USA. p.m.baggenstoss@ieee.org
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Baggenstoss
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D050661:Sperm Whale / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014159:Transducers; D014828:Vocalization, Animal