Optimal estimation of undersea acoustic transponder locations

Using principles from multilateration and optimal estimation theories an approach is derived for estimating the relative positions of three or more submerged and anchored acoustic transponders. The procedure is not constrained to processing range data collected at special points or on special trajectories. While the data normally collected over transponders and between transponder pairs can be processed, simultaneous ranges from anywhere on the surface to three or more transponders can also be processed. Simulated examples involving four stations in different geometries with different range collection schemes demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure.