Realisation of a Target Classifier For Noise Sources in the Ocean

This thesis addresses one of the emerging topics in Sonar Signal Processing.,viz.the implementation of a target classifier for the noise sources in the ocean, as the operator assisted classification turns out to be tedious,laborious and time consuming.In the work reported in this thesis,various judiciously chosen components of the feature vector are used for realizing the newly proposed Hierarchical Target Trimming Model.The performance of the proposed classifier has been compared with the Euclidean distance and Fuzzy K-Nearest Neighbour Model classifiers and is found to have better success rates.The procedures for generating the Target Feature Record or the Feature vector from the spectral,cepstral and bispectral features have also been suggested.The Feature vector ,so generated from the noise data waveform is compared with the feature vectors available in the knowledge base and the most matching pattern is identified,for the purpose of target classification.In an attempt to improve the success rate of the Feature Vector based classifier,the proposed system has been augmented with the HMM based Classifier.Institutions where both the classifier decisions disagree,a contention resolving mechanism built around the DUET algorithm has been suggested.

Implementation of a Neural Network Classifier for Noise Sources in the Ocean

The paper investigates the feasibility of implementing an intelligent classifier for noise sources in the ocean, with the help of artificial neural networks, using higher order spectral features. Non-linear interactions between the component frequencies of the noise data can give rise to certain phase relations called Quadratic Phase Coupling (QPC), which cannot be characterized by power spectral analysis. However, bispectral analysis, which is a higher order estimation technique, can reveal the presence of such phase couplings and provide a measure to quantify such couplings. A feed forward neural network has been trained and validated with higher order spectral features

Nutrient Dynamics in the EEZ of the West Coast of India with Special Reference to the Oxygen Minimum Zone and Denitrification

The present work aims at deciphering the processes that control the nutrient distribution along the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone of India) of the west coast of India and to bring out its linkage with primary and secondary productivity. This work assume utmost importance as very few studies have hitherto focused entirely on the EEZ of the west coast of India to address the biochemical responses brought about by monsoons. The present study examines the seasonal variations in physicochemical parameters and associated primary biological responses along the west coast of India. This study targets to measure and understand the shelf ocean exchange in a typical coastal upwelling region of the southeast Arabian Sea, and the influence of convective mixing along the northern part of the west coast of India. The study focuses more directly on coastal upwelling along the southwest coast of India, within the EEZ. The effects of coastal upwelling, eddy formation and the offshore advection are apparent in the present investigation. This has consequences to fisheries and climate, in energy transfer to the food chain and the increased sequestering of carbon in the ocean. The study also focuses on the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) and dentrification observed along the EEZ of the west coast of India on a seasonal scale. In the study, an attempt is also made to demarcate the geographical boundaries of the denitrification zone in the EEZ of India and on the nature and magnitude of these variations, on a seasonal and inter annual scales

Numerical Modelling of Tsunami Propagation in the South East Arabian Sea (SEAS) and Inundation along the Kerala Coast

Tsunamis are water waves generated by a sudden vertical displacement of the water surface. They are waves generated in the ocean by the disturbance associated with seismic activity, under sea volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides, nuclear explosion or meteorite impacts with the ocean. These waves are generated in the ocean and travel into coastal bays, gulfs, estuaries and rivers. These waves travel as gravity waves with a velocity dependent on water depth. The term tsunami is Japanese and means harbour (tsu) and wave (nami). It has been named so because such waves often develop resonant phenomena in harbours after offshore earthquakes.

Dissolved Folin Phenol Active Substances (Tannin and Lignin) in the Seawater along the West Coast of India

Information on the distribution of dissolved Folin phenol active substances (FPAS) such as tannin and lignin in the seawater along the west coast of India is provided. Notable amounts of FPAS (surface concentrations: 80 f.1gll to 147 f.1gll and bottom concentrations: 80 f.1gll to 116 f.1gll) were detected in the seawater along the coast. The distribution pattern brings about a general depth-wise decrease. A seaward decrease was observed in the southern stations whereas reverse was the case in northern stations. A significant negative correlation was observed between FPAS concentration and dissolved oxygen in sub-surface samples. The appreciable amounts of FPAS detected in the coastal waters indicate the presence of organic matter principally originating from terrestrial (upland and coastal marsh) ecosystems in the marine environment. In this context, they may be used as tracers to determine the fate of coastalborn dissolved organic matter in the ocean and to determine directly the relationship between allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter

AN INVESTIGATION ON AIR-SEA INTERACTION IN THE INDIAN OCEAN DURING CONTRASTING MONSOONS

The study is undertaken with an objective to investigate the linkage between air-sea fluxes in the Indian Ocean and monsoon forcing. Since the monsoon activity is linked to fluxes, the variability of surface marine meteorological fields under the variable monsoon conditions is also studied. The very objective of the present study is to document various sea surface parameters of the Indian Ocean and to examine the anomalies found in them. Hence it is attempted to relate the anomaly to the variability of monsoon over India, highlighting the occasion of contrasting monsoon periods. The analysis of anomalies of surface meteorological fields such as SST, wind speed and direction, sea level pressure and cloud cover for contrasting monsoons are also studied. During good monsoon years, the pressure anomalies are negative indicating a fall in SLP during pre-monsoon and monsoon months. The interaction of the marine atmosphere with tropical Indian Ocean and its influence on ISMR continue to be an area of active research.

Intraseasonal oscillation of total precipitable water over North Indian Ocean and its application in the diagnostic study of coastal rainfall

TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) is reported to be a useful sensor to measure the atmospheric and oceanic parameters even in cloudy conditions. Vertically integrated specific humidity, Total Precipitable Water (TPW) retrieved from the water vapour absorption channel (22GHz.) along with 10m wind speed and rain rate derived from TMI is used to investigate the moisture variation over North Indian Ocean. Intraseasonal Oscillations (ISO) of TPW during the summer monsoon seasons 1998, 1999, and 2000 over North Indian Ocean is explored using wavelet analysis. The dominant waves in TPW during the monsoon periods and the differences in ISO over Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are investigated. The northward propagation of TPW anomaly and its coherence with the coastal rainfall is also studied. For the diagnostic study of heavy rainfall spells over the west coast, the intrusion of TPW over the North Arabian Sea is seen to be a useful tool.

Surface Circulation in the Tropical Indian Ocean Using Multi-Mission Altimeter Data

In the present study the availability of satellite altimeter sea level data with good spatial and temporal resolution is explored to describe and understand circulation of the tropical Indian Ocean. The derived geostrophic circulations showed large variability in all scales. The seasonal cycle described using monthly climatology generated using 12 years SSH data from 1993 to 2004 revealed several new aspects of tropical Indian Ocean circulation. The interannual variability presented in this study using monthly means of SSH data for 12 years have shown large year-to-year variability. The EOF analysis has shown the influence of several periodic signals in the annual and interannual scales where the relative strengths of the signals also varied from year to year. Since one of the reasons for this kind of variability in circulation is the presence of planetary waves. This study discussed the influence of such waves on circulation by presenting two cases one in the Arabian Sea and other in the Bay of Bengal.

Studies on ocean surface layer responses to atmospheric forcing in the North Indian Ocean

The present study on upper ocean responses to atmospheric forcing (associated with cyclone passage) in North Indian Ocean revealed significant variability between AS and BoB. The analysis of cyclone frequency during 1947 to 2006 exhibited lesser frequency of cyclones in AS than that of BoB. The analysis also revealed significant reduction in cyclone frequency after the year 1976 with substantial reduction during monsoon season. The long term SST data at selected points in AS and BoB could not reveal any relation with reduction in cyclone frequency. However the SLP at same locations exhibited considerable increase during mid 1970’s, which could have contributed to the observed reduction in cyclone frequency after the year 1976.The response in waves during cyclone passage exhibited significant asymmetry on either side of the track in AS and BoB and the response is observed at 100’s of kilometers away from the track. The significant clockwise rotation in wave direction is observed on the right side of the track starting from near the track to far away locations, which existed for a longer duration. However, the anticlockwise rotation in wave direction is observed over a shorter distance on the left side of the track and dissipated immediately.Inertial oscillation is observed in surface current and in the mixed layer temperature associated with cyclone passage, which revealed the role of relative location(s) on either side of the track. The inertial peak closer to the local inertial period indicates maximum transfer of energy during the cyclone passage in both AS and BoB. The absence of strong inertial oscillation even with clockwise rotation in surface current and wind indicates the dominant role of duration of strong wind in generating inertial oscillation.The oceanic response associated with cyclone passage reveal the variable response(s) which depends on cyclone intensity, the proximity to track and cyclone translation speed. It is observed that resonance with wind generates higher response in surface current, wave and SST on the right side of the track and it lasts for a longer duration. The maximum oceanic response is observed at a few kilometers away on right side of the track. However lesser rightward bias in the location of maximum cooling is observed for cyclones with low cyclone translation speed. The response on the left side of the track is less and is limited over a shorter distance and dissipates immediately. It is observed that the ocean response, in general, increases with intensity of cyclones. However the differential cooling produced by the same intensity cyclones in AS and in BoB indicates the dominant role of low cyclone translation speed in oceanic response.The surface cooling exhibited strikingly differential responses between AS and BoB. The TMI-SST and buoy observations exhibited significant cooling for a longer duration in AS compared to that of BoB. The spatial extent of cooling is also much higher in AS than that of BoB. The wide spread cooling associated with cyclone passage in AS indicates the dominant role of thermal structure in oceanic response in AS than that of BoB.

Studies on equatorial undercurrent in the indian ocean

This thesis is an outcome of the studies, carried out by the author on the Equatorial Undercurrent and the Equatorial Jet, an interesting and unique phenomenon discovered, recently, in the Indian Ocean (wyrtxi, 1973). The main objective of the thesis is to carry out a detailed investigation of the seasonal, latitudinal and longitudinal variation of the Equatorial Undercurrent in the Indian Ocean and also the Equatorial Jet, through mapping the vertical distribution of the oceanographic properties across the equator along various longitudes for all the months of an year, between SON and SOS, utilising the oceanographic data collected during the International Indian Ocean Expedition and subsequently in the equatorial Indian Ocean. As the distribution of the hydrographic properties give only a qualitative identification of the Undercurrent, a novel technique of computing the zonal flux through bivariate distribution of salinity and thermosteric anomaly introduced by Montgomery and Stroup (1962), is adopted in order to have a quantitative variation of the Equatorial Undercurrent and the Equatorial Jet. Finally, an attempt is made to give a plausible explanation of the features observed.