A new beam-forming algorithm based on flank acoustic vector-sensor array sonar

An algorithm of Bartlett beam-forming with null-forming weights is proposed based on acoustic vector-sensor array, which is located on or near the flank shell of a ship. The influence of shell's reflection to the spatial spectrum estimation is analyzed. The performance of this algorithm is examined in two simulation examples. It can suppress effectively one or several coherent noise sources from aft part of the ship. It gives high bearing resolution and results in left-right unambiguous DOA estimation in all directions. Furthermore, it won't cause grating lobes if space under-sampling took place and, hence, is very useful in practical engineering.