An Ocean Current Field Estimation Method in Under-ice Environment Using the Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network

As an ocean parameter, the ocean current is crucial to observing and monitoring the Arctic Ocean. However, the problem of the ocean current field estimation in the under-ice environment is still a challenge. In this paper, we propose an ocean current field estimation method in under-ice environment using the underwater acoustic sensor network (UASN), where the ocean current velocity and the path-integrated ocean current velocity are calculated using the travel time difference between a pair of sensor nodes, and the ocean current field is mapped by the path-integrated ocean current velocity using the linear interpolation. In addition, the error and uncertainty of the proposed method is analyzed. To validate the proposed method by simulations, the Burke-Twersky model and effective sound speed profile are introduced into the Bellhop model to obtain sound wave travel time between two sensor nodes in the under-ice environment. The numerical results show that the proposed method can estimate the ocean current in under-ice environment effectively.