Using Machine Learning Techniques to Analyze Acoustic Doppler Current
Profiler Data
Abstract
Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) are oceanographic tools that
are capable of collecting large amounts of current profile data. Using
unsupervised machine learning techniques such as principal component
analysis, fuzzy c-means clustering, and self-organizing maps, patterns
and trends in an ADCP dataset were discovered. Cluster validity
algorithms such as visual assessment of cluster tendency and clustering
index were used to determine the optimal number of clusters in the ADCP
dataset. These techniques proved to be useful in analysis of ADCP data
and may be of further use in the oceanographic field.