Statistical estimation of source location in presence of geoacoustic inversion uncertainty

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. (C) 2009 Acoustical Society of America