Estimating turbulent dissipation rates from acoustic backscatter

Recent work has suggested the possibility of using high-frequency (10 kHz to 1 MHz) acoustics to remotely sense turbulent microstructure in the ocean. Once developed, this technique will provide a powerful tool for examining the spatial and temporal distributions of ocean mixing in a way not possible using traditional microstructure methods. In this paper turbulent dissipation rates are estimated through an inversion of 307 kHz acoustic scattering data collected in the lee of a sill in Knight Inlet, British Columbia. These data have been shown previously to be strongly correlated with temperature and shear microstructure measurements. Here we show that inversion methods can be used to get turbulent dissipation rates from acoustic backscatter, provided that independent measurements of temperature and salinity stratification are available. The temperature–salinity characteristics of the environment, however, can place limitations on the inversion technique. The strong negative salinity gradient in Knight Inlet decreases the slope of the functional relationship between dissipation rate and scattering cross-section for high dissipation rates and increases the uncertainty of the inversion. This limitation on the inversion technique is not an issue throughout most of the world's oceans (where dT/dS>0) and, in places where it could be a problem, the limitation can be overcome by using multi-frequency techniques.     

Broadside resonance scattering from elastic spheroids

The authors study the scattering of monochromatic plane acoustic waves incident at 90° angles relative to the axis of symmetry (i.e. broadside or beam aspect) on solid elastic spheroids. In this analysis, the aspect ratios of the spheroids vary in the range 2⩽L/ D⩽5 in steps of one. The nondimensional frequency kL /2 is kept within the band 2⩽kL/2⩽24. A numerical solution based on a modification of the T-matrix method is generated. The authors generate predictions for the backscattered echoes and graphically display their frequency dependence in order to study the resonance features present within them. In this three-dimensional study, the authors identify the (leaky) Rayleigh-type resonances consistent with those present in infinite cylinders     

Waterfall notch-filtering for restoration of acoustic backscatter records from Admiralty Bay,Antarctica

A series of multibeam sonar surveys were conducted from 2009 to 2013 around Admiralty Bay, Shetland Islands, Antarctica. These surveys provided a detailed bathymetric model that helped understand and characterize the bottom geology of this remote area. Unfortunately, the acoustic backscatter records registered during these bathymetric surveys were heavily contaminated with noise and motion artifacts. These artifacts persisted in the backscatter records despite the fact that the proper acquisition geometry and the necessary offsets and delays were applied during the survey and in post-processing. These noisy backscatter records were very difficult to interpret and to correlate with gravity-core samples acquired in the same area. In order to address this issue, a directional notch-filter was applied to the backscatter waterfall in the along-track direction. The proposed filter provided better estimates for the backscatter strength of each sample by considerably reducing residual motion artifacts. The restoration of individual samples was possible since the waterfall frame of reference preserves the acquisition geometry. Then, a remote seafloor characterization procedure based on an acoustic model inversion was applied to the restored backscatter samples, generating remote estimates of acoustic impedance. These remote estimates were compared to Multi Sensor Core Logger measurements of acoustic impedance obtained from gravity core samples. The remote estimates and the Core Logger measurements of acoustic impedance were comparable when the shallow seafloor was homogeneous. The proposed waterfall notch-filtering approach can be applied to any sonar record, provided that we know the system ping-rate and sampling frequency.     

Geomorphology,acoustic backscatter,and processes in Santa Monica Bay from multibeam mapping

Santa Monica Bay was mapped in 1996 using a high-resolution multibeam system, providing the first substantial update of the submarine geomorphology since the initial compilation by Shepard and Emery [(1941) Geol. Soc. Amer. Spec. Paper 31]. The multibeam mapping generated not only high-resolution bathymetry, but also coregistered, calibrated acoustic backscatter at 95 kHz. The geomorphology has been subdivided into six provinces; shelf, marginal plateau, submarine canyon, basin slope, apron, and basin. The dimensions, gradients, and backscatter characteristics of each province is described and related to a combination of tectonics, climate, sea level, and sediment supply. Fluctuations of eustatic sea level have had a profound effect on the area; by periodically eroding the surface of Santa Monica plateau, extending the mouth of the Los Angeles River to various locations along the shelf break, and by connecting submarine canyons to rivers. A wetter glacial climate undoubtedly generated more sediment to the rivers that then transported the increased sediment load to the low-stand coastline and canyon heads. The trends of Santa Monica Canyon and several bathymetric highs suggest a complex tectonic stress field that has controlled the various segments. There is no geomorphic evidence to suggest Redondo Canyon is fault controlled. The San Pedro fault can be extended more than 30 km to the northwest by the alignment of a series of bathymetric highs and abrupt changes in direction of channel thalwegs.     

Analysis of acoustic backscatter in the vicinity of the Dry Tortugas

 Experimental measurements of the bottom backscattering strength from carbonate sediments were made with a 200-kHz multibeam sonar mounted on a remotely operated vehicle. Results were obtained from eight different sites, which may be grouped into three categories, labeled soft, medium and hard, according to measured sediment sound speed. Sediment samples were gathered at or near each site to help interpret the acoustic results. The acoustic results are compared with extant published data and with the BOGGART bottom backscatter model. Backscattering strength values measured in the soft and medium sites fell within the main cluster of previously published values from sediments of similar grain sizes. The values from the hard region fell close to the upper limit. Dependence of the apparent backscattering strength on sonar height above bottom, particularly for the lower values of height above bottom, was observed, which suggests that the scattering process is a multiple-scattering one.     

Vertical spatial coherence of backscatter from bubbles

A basic formalism is developed to treat the vertical spatial coherence of backscatter from wind-generated microbubbles beneath the ocean surface. This formalism treats signals multiply scattered by the sea surface and the subsurface scatterers, as well as absorption in the bubble layer. Approximate solutions are obtained for the case of narrow beamwidth sources and are applied to study the influence of measurement system and environmental parameters on coherence. Using bubble densities derived from acoustic backscatter data, the coherence is found to depend strongly on source frequency and beam pattern. The primary environmental effect is due to the increase in both bubble density and penetration depth below the surface that occurs with increasing windspeed. At high wind speeds, the vertical coherence is sufficiently dependent on the scatterer depth distribution to provide a viable means of studying this phenomenon.     

Coherent reflection of an acoustic plane wave from a random sediment layer over an elastic sea floor

The problem of coherent reflection of an acoustic plane wave from a seabed consisting of a randomly inhomogeneous sediment layer overlying a uniform elastic sea floor is considered in this analysis. The random perturbation in the sediment layer is attributable to the sound-speed variations, resulting in volume scattering due to medium inhomogeneities. An approach based upon perturbation theory, combining with a derived Green's function for a slab bounded above and below, respectively, by a fluid and an elastic half-space, is employed to obtain an analytic solution for the coherent field in the sediment layer. A linear system is then constructed to facilitate the computation of the coherent reflection field. The results of the coherent reflection coefficient for various sediment randomness, frequency, sediment thickness, and sea floor elasticity have been numerically generated and analyzed. It is found that the higher/larger the randomness, frequency, thickness, and shear-wave speed, the lower is the coherent reflection. Physical interpretations for the characteristics of the various results are provided.     

Radar backscatter measurements from Platform Noordwijk in the North Sea

Results from radar backscatter experiments conducted over the North Sea in Project Noordwijk in the years 1977, 1978, and 1979 are reported. For these measurements a short-rangeX-band FM/CW scatterometer was used. Data obtained were the average normalized backscattergamma(sigmadeg)of the sea as a function of grazing angle, windspeed, and look direction. The fading spectra and the autocorrelation function ofgamma(t)were also determined and compared with the output of the oceanographic sensors of the platform.     

时变水声信道中基于BEM的迭代信道估计技术

水声信道的多径时延扩展和时变特性对信道估计和均衡技术的研究带来了很大的挑战,同时也决定了水声信道是一种时频双扩展信道,提出一种水声OFDM通信系统中基于软信息的迭代信道估计技术,利用基于复指数基扩展模型(CE-BEM)进行信道估计。OFDM系统本身可以消除由于多径引起的符号间干扰(ISI)。基于导频的BEM信道估计,可以实现对时变信道的估计,结合基于软信息迭代的迭代均衡模块,将每次迭代生成的符号软判决信息作为辅助导频用于信道估计。同时,为了防止由于信道时变引起的信道子载波间干扰(ICI)对导频符号的影响,采用基于保护间隔的导频插入法插入导频。仿真结果显示基于BEM的软信息迭代信道估计性能较非迭代信道估计时明显提升。     

Statistics of fluctuations in high-frequency low-grazing-angle backscatter from a rocky sea bed

This paper examines the fluctuations in low-grazing-angle 100-kHz backscatter from a rocky limestone sea bed near Copenhagen, Denmark, at horizontal ranges up to 420 m. The sea-bed reverberation was characterized by strong short spatial-scale variations in scattering strength and statistical parameters. The measured areal backscatter strengths were in the range from -50 to -24 dB at grazing angles less than 3/spl deg/, showing a strong local variability and grazing-angle dependence definitely not in accordance with Lambert's law. The observed echo-amplitude distributions varied between log-normal and Rayleigh models, with more Rayleigh-like probability density functions having higher scintillation indices and skewness (approaching values of 1.0 and 0.63, respectively). The scintillation index and skewness parameters were found to increase mildly with both horizontal range and water-current magnitude. A simple model using the coherent superposition of multiple scatterers was proposed to explain the observed scattering statistics. This model is based on the assumption that the sea bed is effectively immobile, with water-borne scintillation and micro-multipaths providing fluctuations in scatterer phase. This simple model shows that echo-amplitude fluctuations can deviate from the Rayleigh model through two mechanisms: 1) decreasing the levels of water-borne phase fluctuation and 2) increasing the nonuniformity of the sea-bed scatterer amplitudes.     

Coherent reflection of acoustic plane wave from a rough seabed, with a random sediment layer overlying an elastic basement

The problem of coherent reflection of an acoustic plane wave from a rough seabed with a randomly inhomogeneous sediment layer overlying a uniform elastic basement is considered in this analysis. The randomness of the sound field is attributable to the roughness of the seabed and the sound-speed perturbation in the sediment layer, resulting in a joint rough surface and volume scattering problem. An approach based upon perturbation theory, combined with a derived Green's function for a slab bounded above and below by a fluid and an elastic half-space, respectively, is employed to obtain an analytic solution for the coherent field in the sediment layer. Furthermore, a boundary perturbation theory developed by Kuperman and Schmidt (1989) is applied to treat the problem of rough surface scattering. A linear system is then established to facilitate the computation of the coherent reflection field. The coherent reflection coefficients for various surface roughness, sediment randomness, frequency, sediment thickness, and basement elasticity have been generated numerically and analyzed. It was found that the higher/larger size of surface and/or medium randomness, frequency, thickness, and shear-wave speed, the lower the coherent reflection. Physical interpretations of the various results are provided.