Underwater Research
Underwater surveillance in the littorals is important for mitigating military threats, but also for protection of crucial infrastructures and sensitive coastal environments.
At the Department of Underwater Research we perform research on acoustic and electromagnetic wave propagation in underwater environments. We develop new modelling- and simulation tools, signal processing algorithms, sensors and systems, in particular for shallow water surveillance and environment characterisation applications.
An important field of research at the Department is computational wave-propagation in layered media. Underwater surveillance simulations, signature prediction calculations and oceanographic forecasts are examples of applications of interest for the Armed Forces. Utilising numerical methods is a cost-effective way for evaluation of the performance and efficiency of new underwater systems during modernisation and procurement processes.
At the Department we have long experience in analysis and interpretation of digital signals, mainly from maritime sensor systems. We develop new methods for high-resolution imaging of objects on the sea-floor or buried in sediments. In the field of underwater acoustic communication we develop new systems for communication over long ranges with high reliability that could e.g. be used to remotely operate unmanned underwater vehicles.
We develop methods and hardware tailored for our customer’s needs for assessment of the underwater environment, particularly in the extreme littorals. In situ measurements are thus crucial for our research, but we also have an indoor calibration tank and laboratories to our disposal at the FOI site in Kista.
Within the field of seismology, our work is focused on developing improved methods for detection of explosions and for discrimination between different types of events, used by the verification system for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
While most or our research is financed by the Swedish Armed Forces, The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, we also have commercial customers in Sweden and abroad. Part of our research is performed in collaboration with universities and research institutes across the world.