The non-acoustic signatures of underwater vehicles

Abstract

Submersible vehicles, such as Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), can be lost underwater and it is desirable to locate them before they go missing or collide with other vehicles. These objects generate inherent signatures when they move in the ocean. With a better understanding of these signatures, more information regarding the motion of underwater vehicles can be inferred using LiDAR technology. In this paper, the authors review existing literature on various non-acoustic signatures of a submerged body, namely, the electromagnetic, biological and thermal signatures, turbulent wake patterns, internal waves and vortex structures. The authors discuss how these signatures evolve both spatially and temporally. Furthermore, the review investigates how environmental and operational parameters such as the stratification of the medium, vehicle speed, shape and depth affect the non-acoustic signatures. Underwater vehicles operating at low speeds and large depths have bioluminescent, Kelvin wake and Bernoulli hump signatures that are difficult to detect on the surface. Thermal signatures, vortex wakes and far wakes are only likely to be detected at the vehicle’s depth. This is primarily due to the ocean stratification which suppresses the vertical motion of underwater turbulent signatures. Thermal signatures appear to be most likely to be detected. The study concludes that relying on a single signature to detect submersibles is not advisable and future methods for underwater vehicle detection should use multiple sensors to detect complementary signatures.