Optimum classification with active sonar: new theoretical results

Active underwater acoustic classification is a central sonar signal processing problem. The main thrust of this work is a critical evaluation of several key issues impacting on optimum processor implementation. To this end, the authors have developed systematic methods for evaluating the performance of the overall system. Closed-form solutions for detection and false-alarm probabilities, are obtained directly from the geometries of the test volumes and each object to be classified. Based on these results, the authors quantify the relationships between classifier performance and signal design, test volume geometry, and fidelity between the actual test volume geometries and the assumed geometries infused into the processor