Implementing statistical acoustic characterization of urban terrain into a decision support tool

Abstract

Statistics-based characterizations of acoustic propagation, namely, fading and coherence, are being developed as functions of urban terrain zones. The fading and coherence curves are characterized for each of several urban terrain zones of interest, and the resulting curves are parameterized as a function of frequency and distance from the source. With the parameters for signal fading and coherence as a function of frequency, distance to source, and urban terrain zone type, the decision support tool SPEBE (Sensor Performance Evaluator for Battle-space Environments) is extended to urban areas. Combined with a separate effort characterizing background noise levels as functions also of urban terrain zones, a tool for predicting probability of detection for various sources in urban areas is demonstrated.