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Detecting blast-induced infrasound in wind noise
Wheeler B Howard1, Kevin L Dillion, F Douglas Shields
1University of Mississippi National Center for Physical Acoustics, 1 Coliseum Drive, University, Mississippi 38677, USA. wbhoward@olemiss.edu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|March 25, 2010
Summary
This study demonstrates a distributed array effectively detects infrasound signals from atmospheric detonations. Array processing techniques successfully localized blast-induced signals, even amidst challenging wind noise conditions.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics and Atmospheric Science
- Acoustic Monitoring and Signal Processing
Background:
- Natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis generate infrasound, a crucial area for scientific monitoring.
- Detecting these infrasound signals is often hindered by ambient wind noise, posing a significant challenge for accurate analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a distributed array system in detecting infrasound signals from controlled atmospheric detonations.
- To assess the capability of array processing techniques to overcome wind noise interference for signal localization.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a distributed array to record infrasound data from four atmospheric detonations at White Sands Missile Range.
- Employed array processing techniques to analyze the recorded signals and identify blast-induced acoustic events.
- Compared signal detectability and localization under varying wind noise conditions.
Main Results:
- Three out of four atmospheric detonations were successfully detected and localized using the distributed array during periods of low wind noise.
- Signal processing techniques demonstrated success in localizing one blast-induced signal despite the presence of significant wind noise.
- High wind conditions presented a challenge, obscuring one of the detonation signals.
Conclusions:
- Distributed arrays are a viable tool for detecting infrasound from atmospheric events, including detonations.
- Array processing offers a robust method for localizing infrasound sources, even in noisy environments.
- Further research may focus on improving signal detection in extreme wind conditions.
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