Computer Simulation of Search Tactics for Magnetic Anomaly Detection

Abstract

The use of magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) systems to search for and track submarines is a subject of renewed interest to the Canadian Forces with the recent acquisition of the new Aurora maritime patrol aircraft with its highly sensitive ASQ-502 magnetometer. To enhance the performance of the new magnetometer, to develop signal detection algorithms and to evaluate and refine existing MAD search tactics, the Defence Research Establishment Pacific (DREP) has developed an interactive minicomputer-based MAD search simulator— the MADSIM program, report summarizes the basic MAD search problem, describes the magnetic signature, outlines the simulation procedure of the program, presents several examples of computer output and concludes with a look at the utility and applications of the search simulator.