Spatial parameter estimation for ocean subsurface layered media

Discusses the problem of obtaining estimates of amplitude and delay parameters associated with the response to impulsive acoustic excitations of the ocean subbottom. The availability of the estimates is important for identifying properties and geometry of underwater sediments and rock formations. The authors detail the basic model for ocean bottom subsurface reflections and gives the mathematical basis for extraction of parameter estimates for the model by a correlation method. Some results are presented for estimates on field data. It is found that for the data records available the results after estimation only contain false events and unrecognized events. Spatial filtering and smoothing is suggested to improve estimates and their reliability.