Impulsive sound source localization using distributed elevated acoustic sensors.
Xiao Di, Ronald A. Wagstaff, John Anderson, Kenneth E. Gilbert · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 2008
For detecting and localizing impulsive sources in the daytime, distributed elevated acoustic sensors with large base line separations have distinct advantages over small ground-based arrays. First, during the day, the signal levels are generally higher at altitude than on the ground. Second, the large base lines provide improved localization accuracy. Results are reported from a distributed array of acoustic sensors deployed during an experiment in Bourges, France during June of 2008. The distributed array consisted of microphones and global positioning system (GPS) receivers attached to the tether lines of several widely separated balloons. The sound sources were various impulsive devices. Data from the experiment are presented and discussed. In particular, the localization error is analyzed as a function of the GPS accuracy and the motion of the balloons. Possible ways to improve the localization accuracy are suggested. [Research supported by the U. S. Army TACOM-ARDEC at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.]