An efficient algorithm for processing data from a multi-point sensor of vibrations

A new technique of vibration sensing, based on a polarimetric fibre-optic strain sensor, is presented; it is designed for localisation of multiple sources of disturbances in a broad frequency spectrum without using fibre gratings. A mathematical model of the sensor is used for development of a variational method for estimation of amplitudes of component vibrations on the basis of noisy samples of the signal at the output of the sensor. This method is implemented in a new algorithm of estimation, being 100–1000 more efficient (in terms of computing time) than an algorithm published previously.

► Multi-point polarimetric sensor of vibrations. ► Algorithm for processing sensor data. ► Reduction of computing time up to 1000 times.