Underwater moving target detection using track-before-detect method with low power and high refresh rate signal

Conventional active sonar systems transmit a high power and low refresh rate signal to keep high power echoes from detected targets and maintain an effective detection range. However, high power signal brings a sonar reception blind area and fewer update times result in a poor detection and tracking performance. This paper proposes using the track-before-detect (TBD) method with a low power and high refresh rate acoustic signal to detect underwater targets. Low power signals could reduce the strong direct blast during transmission period and avoid blind areas, and the high refresh rate ensures more time domain measurements. Moreover, the TBD method improves the detection and tracking performance of lower power echoes. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that compared with the conventional detect-before-track (DBT) method, which uses a high power and low refresh rate signal, the proposed TBD method with a low power and high refresh rate signal had superior detection and tracking performance.