Case study of the transformation of swells propagating into Sendai Bay

A high-resolution two-dimensional map of swell wavelength and propagating direction was retrieved from a phased array type L-band synthetic aperture radar scene observed on 24 September 2006 over Sendai Bay in the Tohoku region of Japan. Features of the wavelength map were compared with a wavelength map calculated from in situ measurements of the swell period using infinitesimal amplitude surface wave theory. The maps corresponded well in most areas, although large differences appeared in the near-shore area (area I) and an area of complicated bottom topography (area II). Because the spatial resolution of swell parameters was too coarse to investigate the surface waves in area I, wavelet transform (WT) was applied along a swell ray to improve the spatial resolution. In the resulting WT wavelength map, the large difference in area I disappeared. For area II, perturbation theory was introduced for surface waves propagating obliquely on a gentle slope. The large wavelength difference in area II was well explained by the second-order solution of perturbation theory.     

Model-based enhancement of internal wave images

The measurement of internal-wave signatures using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or real aperture radar (RAR) techniques is an emerging technology that offers a viable means of locating and tracking surface ship wakes by their unique signatures. Under the assumption that the image measured by the radar is dominated by the underlying dynamics of the internal wave, we develop model-based techniques for enhancement based on a recently developed generic dispersive-wave processor. Using images synthesized by a sophisticated propagation model, it is shown that the processor not only offers a unique approach compared to the more traditional image-processing techniques that do not incorporate the propagation model, but is also capable of providing reasonable enhancement of the noisy measurements     

适用于U型阵多波束系统的高分辨底检测算法

在多波束回声声纳系统中,高分辨处理算法例如MUSIC、ESPRIT,被广泛应用于海底地形的测绘。在应用高分辨算法时,一条均匀线阵是必要条件。然而,由于系统覆盖范围/分辨率的需求以及安装空间的限制,在多波束系统中经常会采用特殊形状的接收阵列,这使得高分辨算法无法直接应用。同时回波信号的短时平稳特性使得难以估计出协方差矩阵,这也增加了高分辨算法在多波束系统中的应用难度。本文首先介绍一种基于多角度子阵波束形成的ESPRIT算法,该算法能降低高分辨算法对信噪比、样本点数和计算能力的要求。仿真表明此算法能提供更好的分辨力。接着提出一种将基于多角度子阵波束形成的ESPRIT算法与虚拟阵列变换相结合的高分辨底检测算法,并针对高分辨底检测算法在U型阵上的应用进行了探讨。计算机仿真和试验数据处理结果验证了文章所提高分辨底检测算法的有效性。     

SHADOWS合成孔径声纳系统及性能测试

与传统的侧扫声纳相比,合成孔径声纳系统具有全覆盖无遗漏扫测,测量范围大、速度快,图像分辨率高等优点。本文介绍我国引进第一套SHADOWS合成孔径声纳系统的技术性能,分析SHADOWS合成孔径声纳系统性能测试情况及实际测量中的应用价值,提出了存在的问题及其对策。     

Determination of sea ice motion using digital SAR imagery

Using digital SEASAT synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, high-precision densely sampled maps of ice motion have been derived by tracking ice features to determine the small-scale spatial variability of ice deformation. The digital SAR imagery was processed to remove geometric distortions and located on the Earth to an accuracy of about 100 m utilizing an algorithm based on the spacecraft orbital data and the characteristics of the SAR data collection system, independent of attitude information or ground reference points. Radiometric enhancement of the imagery using a variable linear stretch algorithm was performed to remove a system-related gradient and improve the identification of sea ice features. Using ice features common to an overlapping pair of images, vector plots of ice motion were then produced. Examples of ice motion are shown in the marginal ice zone and in the central ice pack where mean displacements of 15.3 km/day and 5.0 km/day were measured, respectively. Considering errors in Earth location with those in feature identification an overall error of 150-200 m in displacement measurements was estimated. The ice motion vector plots indicate a high degree of spatial deformation, demonstrating the potential value of spaceborne SAR data for production of precision large-scale maps of ice displacement with a spatial resolution of ice deformation on scales much less than 100 km.     

星载SAR浅海水下地形和水深测量模拟仿真──水下地形高度、坡度和方向与可测水深分析

根据星载合成孔径雷达(SAR)浅海水下地形和水深成像机理,建立了浅海水下地形和水深雷达后向散射截面仿真模型.利用该模型模拟并分析了不同地形条件下,浅海水下地形的雷达后向散射截面.分析结果表明,水下地形高度越高,SAR可测量的水深越深;水下地形坡度越大,越易被SAR所观测.水下地形的星载SAR测量还与水下地形的方向有关,与卫星飞行方向平行的水下地形最易被SAR观测,与卫星飞行方向垂直的水下地形最不易被SAR观测.     

Azimuthal ambiguities in synthetic aperture sonar and syntheticaperture radar imagery

It is shown that azimuthal ambiguities are not eliminated by the nulls of a sonar (or radar) beam pattern and have a definite influence on image quality. In synthetic aperture systems that are strongly limited in spatial sampling, particularly in ocean borne synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) and spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), azimuthal ambiguities will corrupt the images unless special measures are taken. These azimuthal aliases may be reduced by emphasizing the centermost portion of the available synthetic aperture length, and deemphasizing the endmost portions. This minimizes the effects from synthetic array elements that most strongly contribute to aliases     

高精度测深侧扫系统在载人潜水器中的应用

为提升"蛟龙号"载人潜水器海底综合探测能力,介绍一种采用多子阵海底自动检测—子空间拟合的信号参数估计技术的高精度测深侧扫声纳系统。该系统安装于载人潜水器的两侧,能够测量海底的微地形地貌以及海底和水中的目标,同时获得探测区域高分辨率的地形图和地貌图。通过介绍该高精度测深侧扫系统的工作原理、技术指标及系统组成,结合"蛟龙号"载人潜水器试验性应用航次获得的高分辨率地形地貌数据,对该系统在载人潜水器中的应用和海底地形地貌探测结果进行了分析和展望。     

高分辨率全极化SAR水上桥梁参数反演

高分辨率SAR中,桥梁的各次反射回波表现为条带状,这给桥梁参数的反演带来了困难。本文提出了一种适用于高分辨率全极化SAR的水上桥梁参数反演方法。首先,通过极化散射特征区分出桥梁的单次、二次和三次反射回波目标。然后,结合微波反射和折射的原理,分析了高分辨SAR图像中桥梁的各次反射回波成条带状的原因,在此基础上提出了各次回波目标的提取方法和桥梁参数反演方法。最后,利用获取的AIRSAR数据反演了桥梁的上下桥高、桥厚、桥宽、桥长及桥塔高度等参数,通过与实测数据对比,结果表明,本文的方法能较准确地反演桥梁的各项参数,其中桥高误差仅为1.3%,结果也表明了在高分辨率条件下,C和L波段的桥梁参数反演能力相当。     

高分辨率全极化合成孔径雷达数据海冰二次分类方法研究

随着高分辨率全极化合成孔径雷达(synthetic aperture radar, SAR)影像的大量出现, 传统分类方法因所得分类结果中包含斑点噪声, 导致分类精度大大降低, 因而利用基于伴生关系的二次分类方法对辽东湾RADARSAT-2卫星的海冰SAR影像进行分类, 并将所得分类结果与专家解译分类结果和经典的基于H-α分解的Wishart监督分类结果进行对比, 证明本方法可以消除斑点噪声的影响, 同时具有较好的视觉效果和较高的分类精度。     

Motion-Compensation Improvement for Widebeam, Multiple-Receiver SAS Systems

The effect that uncompensated motion errors have on synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) imagery can be severe. Time-domain beamforming SAS reconstruction is able to compensate arbitrary track errors, but the more efficient frequency-domain reconstruction algorithms, such as the range-Doppler, chirp-scaling, and wave number (aka range migration or Stolt-mapping) algorithms do not allow for simple compensation, especially for widebeam sonars. Data processed via these block algorithms is usually compensated before azimuth compression in a computationally inexpensive preprocessing step. Unfortunately, this compensation assumes a narrowbeam geometry, causing blurring in high-resolution images collected with widebeam sonars. In this paper, we demonstrate a new technique for compensation of large, but known, motion errors in data collected with widebeam geometry sonars. The technique relies on obtaining angle-of-arrival information from the multiple-receiver array configuration typical in high-resolution SAS systems. The new method of compensating for motion errors was found to significantly outperform the previous techniques in a simulation of point-reflector imagery.      

Performance comparison of high resolution bearing estimationalgorithms using simulated and sea test data

The performance of both the Capon and the MUSIC high resolution bearing estimation algorithms is investigated using both simulated data and sea test data collected with an experimental planar array. The major problem with these estimators is their sensitivity to both system errors and deviations from the assumed noise model. To alleviate this problem, two methods for preprocessing the data before they are input into the high-resolution algorithm are investigated: beam space and sector focused stability. The performance of both high-resolution estimators is examined, using both types of preprocessing, and the results are compared with those for the standard element-space (ES) techniques, assuming both finite cross-spectral-matrix (CSM) averaging errors and weakening target strengths. For the Capon estimator the performance is only superior to the standard element space technique when the CSM is calculated using a small number of averages. For the MUSIC estimator, both preprocessing techniques give clearly superior results over standard space techniques, with the SFS preprocessor performing the best     

The multiple roles of acoustic mapping in integrated ocean management,Canadian Atlantic continental margin

Coastal and ocean environments worldwide are coming under increasing pressure from resource development. In some cases, integrated coastal zone management programs have been successfully adopted. However, with the collapse of offshore fisheries and competition among industries for use of the seabed, many maritime countries are recognizing that more data are needed to support the sustainable management of offshore resources. Developments in multibeam mapping technology, in concert with traditional geoscience survey techniques, now provide the capability to image the sea floor in high resolution. Examples from the Canadian Atlantic continental margin are used to demonstrate the application of high-resolution sea floor mapping techniques to develop data bases and maps; these maps are fundamental information for the future management of offshore resources.     

一维综合孔径微波辐射计遥感海面温度的敏感性分析

一维综合孔径微波辐射计能够有效提高观测的空间分辨率,其观测入射角通常在0°~55°范围内变化。为了开发适用于一维综合孔径微波辐射计的海面温度反演算法,需要评估其观测亮温对海洋大气环境要素的敏感性。利用海面发射率模型和大气辐射传输模型,构建了适用于一维综合孔径微波辐射计的微波海洋大气辐射传输模式,研究了C波段垂直和水平极化微波辐射亮温在不同入射角下对海洋大气环境要素的敏感性变化情况,并定量计算了相应的敏感系数。结果表明:垂直和水平极化亮温对海洋大气环境要素的敏感性表现出不同的特性。随着入射角的增大,垂直极化亮温对海面温度的敏感性增强,对海面风场的敏感性相对减弱;水平极化亮温则相反。由大气水汽含量和云液态水含量误差引入的垂直和水平极化亮温误差随入射角增大而增大,但是,即使在55°的大入射角下垂直和水平极化亮温误差仍小于0.12 K。对于海面温度反演精度优于1 K的要求,一维综合孔径微波辐射计的测温精度需优于0.6 K。研究结果对于一维综合孔径微波辐射计海面温度反演算法的研究和载荷设计具有一定的理论指导意义。     

Relative Height Estimation by Cross-Correlating Ground-Range Synthetic Aperture Sonar Images

The relative height of the seafloor can be estimated by using two vertically displaced receivers. In this paper, we propose techniques to improve the accuracy of the estimated height. Our results are based on the use of synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) imaging, which implies coherent addition of complex images acquired from a moving platform. The SAS processing improves the along-track (or azimuth) resolution, as well as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which in turn improves the estimated height accuracy. We show that the shift of the effective center frequency induced by coherent, frequency-dependent scattering affect the time-delay estimates from complex cross correlations, and we propose a correction technique for broadband signals with uneven magnitude spectra. To reduce the effect of geometrical decorrelation and increase the coherence between the images, we beamform the sonar images onto an a priori estimate of the seafloor height before correlating. We develop a mathematical model for the imaging geometry. Finally, we demonstrate our proposed estimators by providing relative seafloor height estimates from real aperture and SAS images, obtained during the InSAS-2000 experiment at Elba Island in Italy. In particular, we demonstrate that the SAS image quality is significantly improved by inclusion of the height estimates as a priori information.     

Acoustic positioning for an array of freely drifting infrasonic sensors

Initial testing of the prototype element of a freely drifting infrasonic sensor array is described. The intent of this measurement system is to gather wide aperture data sets which will be used both to characterize ambient noise in the region 1-10 Hz and to assess the gains possible from beam forming utilizing a collection of very low frequency (VLF) sensors. Coherent processing (beam forming) of the infrasonic sensor data is made possible by relative position measurements derived from mutual acoustic interrogation of the elements at a higher frequency. Surface echo data from a recent sea test of the prototype buoy are used to illustrate the type of pulse processing which will be implemented as a first step in the localization procedure.     

Characterization of natural hydrocarbon seepage in the South Caspian Sea off Iran using satellite SAR and geological data

Abstract

Two groups of oil slicks have been repeatedly detected in the Southern Caspian Sea, off Cape Sefidrud and close to the Iranian coast of the sea on the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired by the Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B satellites in April–June 2018. Analysis of the SAR images together with bathymetry, geological and geophysical data in geographic information system showed that these manifestations (oil slicks) visible on the sea surface have natural origin, related to the bottom seepage phenomenon and are associated with existing hydrocarbon system. Oil slicks are concentrated over the continental slope and related to local geological formations of the sedimentary cover having oil deposits related to paleo-delta of Sefidrud River. Our evidence shows that two seeps in this area are active and repeating. It is concluded that the SAR is an excellent tool for monitoring of seepage phenomenon. Moreover, results indicate that the use of remote methods to identify offshore natural oil seeps related to existing active petroleum system can be considered as a well-accepted approach to support oil and gas exploration in frontier areas such as the South Caspian Basin.     

Measured vertical noise directionality at five sites in the Western North Atlantic

Solutions were computed for the vertical ambient sea noise field directionality at five sites in the Western North Atlantic Ocean using data from a 26-hydrophone element array with a 358.4-foot aperture at a center depth of 1,000 feet. Results show that the low-frequency noise below 100 Hz is concentrated near the horizontal (50 to 93 percent of the noise power between /spl plusmn/15/spl deg/ of horizontal) and is apparently dependent on bottom loss and shipping density. The results in the band 200 to 380 Hz are a combination of sea state and shipping noise dependent. A noise field solution technique was developed involving noise cross spectral matrix inversions. This technique overcomes some of the drawbacks of previous techniques such as least mean square estimation and successive approximations.     

Time-evolution of high-resolution topographic measurements of the sea floor using a 3-D laser line scan mapping system

A laser line scan system was used to characterize the high-resolution spatial variability and temporal evolution of the sea floor as a function of environmental conditions for a small section of the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico during a period of nine days. High-resolution bathymetric profiles (<1 mm) covering about two sand ripple periods on the sea floor were acquired over a one-dimensional transect 1.35 m in length. The system was also used to measure reflectance and to produce three-dimensional bottom maps of the test area. Over the nine-day period, the sand ripple peak-to-trough height was observed to decrease slowly from about 2.5 cm to about 2.0 cm. Similar gradual changes we also observed in the time-evolution of bottom profile correlations and of the bottom roughness spectra. However, when smaller sections were examined individually, the time-evolution of the profile correlation was observed to vary acutely and in a transitory manner in some regions but not in others, and without preference for crests or troughs. In general, bottom roughness for spatial frequencies greater than 0.044 cycles/cm completely decorrelated within 20-30 h. However, this gradual trend was also marked by acute and transitory changes in bottom topography believed to be primarily from fish feeding on epibenthic prey.