On the effect of error correlation on matched-field geoacoustic inversion.

The effect of correlated data errors on matched-field geoacoustic inversion for vertical array data is examined. The correlated errors stem from the inability to model the inhomogeneities in the environment resulting in an additional error term beyond ambient noise. Simulated data with these correlated errors are generated and then inverted with or without using the proper covariance matrix. Results show that the correlated error has a negative impact on geoacoustic parameter estimation if not accounted for properly.