Estimation of surface-based duct parameters from automatic identification system using the Levy flight quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm

Abstract

Atmospheric duct propagation has a significant influence on the performance of wireless communication and radar systems in the maritime environment that makes it essential to master the detailed knowledge of the atmospheric refractivity profile. Automatic identification system (AIS) is a maritime navigation safety communication system that operates in the very high frequency mobile band and the propagation path of AIS signals will be influenced by different atmospheric conditions. In this paper, a new refractivity estimation method based on the AIS signal level is proposed and the Levy flight quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (LFQPSO) algorithm is presented and applied in the new estimation method to estimate the surface based duct parameters. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the LFQPSO algorithmhas good robustness and the new refractivity estimation method based on the AIS signal level can provide near-real-time estimation ofatmospheric refractivity.

Keywords:

• Automatic identification system (AIS)
• refractivity estimation
• surface-based duct
• Levy flight quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (LFQPSO) algorithm

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Wenlong Tang http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6641-391

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41405009].

Notes on contributors

Wenlong Tang

Wenlong Tang was born in Anhui, China, in 1992. He received the M.S. degree in Signal and Information Processing from Electronic Engineering Institute, Hefei, China, in 2016. He is currently pursuing the PhD degree in Communication and Information System, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, China. His main research interests are radio wave propagation theory and refractivity estimation techniques.

Hao Cha

Hao Cha received his PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from College of Electronic Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing, China, in 2004. He is currently a full professor with the College of Electronic Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, and director of the Institute of Electromagnetic Environment. His main research interests are radio wave propagation theory and general radar technology.

Min Wei

Min Wei was born in Henan, China, in 1993. He received the M.S. degree in Signal and Information Processing from Electronic Engineering Institute, Hefei, China, in 2016. He is currently an assistant engineer at the Unit 31003 of PLA, Beijing, China. His current research interests include radio wave propagation theory and radar sea clutter modelling.

Bin Tian

Bin Tian received his PhD degree in Communication and Information System from the Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, China, in 2010. He is currently an associate professor with the College of Electronic Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, and director of the Institute of Electromagnetic Environment. His main research interest is radar engineering.