PICASSO: Physics-Based Improvements for Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) Signal-and-Information Processing Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Topic No.: N181-057 Topic Title: PICASSO: Physics-Based Improvements for Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) Signal-and-Information Processing Proposal No.: N181-057-0403 Firm: ARiA 1222 4th Street SW Washington, D.C. 20024 Contact: Jason Summers Phone: (202) 629-9716 Web Site: http://www.ariacoustics.com Abstract: To support Navy�?Ts need for improved detection, tracking, and classification within the Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) functional segment (CASFS) of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15, ARiA will develop and demonstrate signal- and information-processing algorithms that reduce range uncertainty, recover signal mismatch loss, and improve tracking performance. The Phase I effort will (1) develop algorithms for estimating and compensating for time-varying platform motion within a coherent processing interval, (2) develop features for classification and tracking derived from sparse model-based estimation, and (3) demonstrate that PICASSO algorithms can meet Navy�?Ts need for improved tracking and classification performance on archived and simulated data representative of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 operating at full duty cycle with sub-CPI platform and target motion. Benefits: The PICASSO signal and information processing algorithms and software developed in this work will advance the state-of-the-art in tracking and classification for CAS. Phase I efforts will specifically contribute validated new concepts and algorithms for estimating and compensating for sub-CPI motion-induced uncertainty and signal-mismatch loss and physics-based tracking and classification clues that improve track localization and target classification. Results of the Phase I effort will provide a basis for Phase II development of the most promising algorithms into a software library and transition into the tactical system. Signal-processing algorithms in particular may be applied to commercial midfrequency sonar systems used for subbottom profiling, single-beam and multi-beam (swath) bathymetry, and acoustic seafloor characterization. Return