APL-UW

Beth Kirby

Senior Engineer

Email

bethk@uw.edu

Phone

206-685-0310

Research Interests

3D Software Development, Sonar Simulation

Biosketch

Elizabeth Kirby develops software to simulate sonar signals using C . She is also working on a project to improve the feedback in undersea warfare mission planning and another to improve methods to include weather information in mission planning. Ms. Kirby has been a member of the Laboratory's professional staff since 2001.

Department Affiliation

Environmental & Information Systems

Education

B.S. Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, 1986

M.S. Mathematics, University of Washington, 1988

Publications

2000-present and while at APL-UW

FlowPilot: Shoreside autonomy for profiling floats

Szuts, Z., T. Harrison, T. Curtin, B. Kirby, and B. Ma, "FlowPilot: Shoreside autonomy for profiling floats," Proc., OCEANS, 25-28 September, Biloxi, MS, doi:10.23919/OCEANS52994.2023.10337384 (MTS/IEEE, 2023).

More Info

11 Dec 2023

Over the last twenty years, profiling floats have revolutionized ocean observations with globally distributed Lagrangian arrays performing fixed vertical sampling cycles. Here we investigate adaptive sampling with an array of inter-dependent floats guided by a software package called FlowPilot, which uses all available float measurements to select park depths that provide favorable drifts based on sampling goals. Drift predictions are performed with multiple prediction methods, including methods that use float data (drift velocity, geostrophic velocity calculations) or from external sources like numerical ocean forecast models. A skill-based weight is assigned to each method based on how accurately it predicts recent drifts. With this generalized approach to prediction, disparate methods can be combined numerically to permit multi-method optimization. The emergent skill of FlowPilot is tested and quantified by numerical simulations that minimize dispersion by keeping a grid of floats close to the center of the deployment box.

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