Acoustic-to-Seismic Signal Attenuation and Aircraft Trajectory Tracking

Airborne sound sources generate strong pressure disturbances that couple with the ground to produce acoustic-to-seismic signals, leaving a continuous seismic footprint detectable by sensors. This study simulates the seismic response of moving aircraft using the Finite Difference Method and analyzes the relationship between signal amplitude and the distance to the flight path. By integrating the wavefront diffusion equation with the distance formula, we derive a mathematical link between maximum amplitude and trajectory parameters. Based on this relation, an inversion algorithm using linear array data is developed for trajectory tracking. Field data from Beijing Capital International Airport validate the feasibility of the method. Results demonstrate that the proposed approach enables reliable large-scale and long-term aircraft monitoring, complementing traditional radar and acoustic technologies for aviation surveillance.