Reverberation-derived shallow-water bottom scattering strength

Determinations of acoustic scattering strength for sand bottoms have been made at several different shallow-water areas under downward refracting sound propagation conditions in the frequency decade below 1 kHz. The measurements have been made using explosive sources detonated at mid-water depth and bottom-mounted vertical and horizontal hydrophone line arrays as receivers. The ubiquitous presence of multipaths in shallow water prevents a direct-path scattering geometry, and scattering strength must be extracted from the full reverberation field, which complicates the determination of bottom grazing angle dependence of scattering. The major focus of this paper has been the variation of scattering strength with frequency (integrated over participating bottom angles), though estimates of the angular dependence of scattering strength have been made using the vertical receiving array. Typically the integrated scattering strength for sand bottoms reported (and elsewhere) are found to decrease below 1 kHz and in some instances to exhibit a minimum in the several hundred hertz range. Sand bottom scattering strengths below 1 kHz are significantly lower than those predicted by the Mackenzie formula and the limited angular dependence determinations have been found to be consistent with Lambert's law     

Modeling bistatic bottom scattering strength including a forwardscatter lobe

An upgrade to bistatic scattering strength modelling that is based on the authors' current understanding of bottom topographic scattering with an emphasis on modeling the `forward lobe' where Lambert's law fails quite significantly is reported. Low-frequency bottom scatter modeling is reviewed with particular emphasis on the issues of the forward scattered lobe. A specific model (a modified version of BISSM) is proposed, and the model's advantages and limitations are discussed. The requirement for certain high-resolution geomorphic data needed to support the model is discussed. Like the original BISSM, the version does not modify the accepted form for diffuse scattering, but it does modify the form of the forward lobe     

Joint perturbation scattering characterization of a littoral oceanbottom reverberation: theory, scattering strength predictions, and datacomparisons

A joint surface roughness/volumetric perturbation scattering theory is utilized to characterize the reverberation from a littoral ocean bottom. The result is a reflected field spectrum that consists of specular and off-specular components. The predicted scattering strength from the off-specular component is shown to be comprised of interface roughness scattering, sediment inhomogeneity volumetric scattering, and interface roughness/sediment inhomogeneity correlation scattering. The sediment inhomogeneity volumetric scattering is shown to contain two contributions that are due to fractional variations in sediment densities and sound velocities. Both contributions are shown to be affected by the interface effect by a round-trip transmission coefficient factor. These two fractional variations are shown to contribute differently to scattering strength but similarly to backscattering strength. Inversely predicted roughness spectra from various sets of backscattering strength data are shown to be consistent with a generally known roughness spectrum. Both inversely predicted roughness and volumetric scattering physical property spectra are found to be self-consistent. However, the use of only ocean bottom backscattering strength data is found to be insufficient to judge whether the roughness or the volumetric scattering dominates. Reverberation characterizations using bistatic scattering strength data and signal spread data are planned for future studies     

Statistical characterization of active sonar reverberation using extreme value theory

The statistics of reverberation in active sonar are characterized by non-Rayleigh distributed amplitudes in the normalized matched filter output. Unaccounted for, this property can lead to high false-alarm rates in fixed-threshold detectors. A new approach to modeling threshold-crossing statistics based on extreme value theory is proposed, which uses the generalized Pareto distribution as the unique asymptotic model of the tail distribution, valid at large thresholds. Methods of parameter estimation are discussed and applied to active sonar reverberation collected on a hull-mounted sonar system. The statistics of reverberation in active sonar are found to generally have a power-law behavior in the tails with a shape parameter that is persistent in time and bandwidth dependent. The threshold needed for accurate parameter estimation is generally found to be well below that of typical fixed-threshold detectors.     

Statistics of broad-band bottom reverberation predictions in shallow-water waveguides

A new coherent reverberation model developed at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, and the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic Undersea Research Centre, La Spezia, Italy, is exercised in the 17-750-Hz band to estimate the degree of non-Rayleighness of shallow-water reverberation envelopes as a function of waveguide multipath, system bandwidth, directivity, and frequency. Findings suggest that reverberation from diffuse, but non-Gaussian, scatterer distributions is significantly more Rayleigh for multipath environments than for equivalent environments excited by a single or small number of modes or for broadside receiver array processing that extracts narrow angles of reception. These findings suggest that the problem of non-Rayleigh reverberation in shallow-water waveguides can be ameliorated through the use of tuned ensonification and reception schemes, which retain high probabilities of detection while reducing the associated probability of false alarm.     

High-frequency bistatic sea-floor scattering from sandy ripple bottom

To obtain the bistatic scattering function on the sandy ripple bottom, high-frequency bistatic sea-floor scattering measurements were made in the shallow waters off the east coast of Korea. A sand ripple field was present at the site, with wavelength generally in the 10-20-cm range. The mean ripple orientation relative to the direction of wave propagation was estimated to be roughly 20/spl deg/-30/spl deg/. Field experiments were made to measure forward (in-plane) and out-of-plane scattering from the ripple bottom. The measured scattering strengths were compared to the predictions of the APL-UW bistatic scattering model. Overall, forward-scattering strength measurements showed favorable comparison with the model predictions. The global scattering characteristics for the ripple bottom gave an augmented out-of-plane scattering.     

A model for numerical simulation of nonstationary sonar reverberation using linear spectral prediction

An innovative approach to the numerical generation of nonstationery reverberation time series is presented and demonstrated. The computer simulated reverberation time series are of high quality, in that they are accurate representations of those which would result from an actual sonar system (transmit/receive and horizontal/ vertical beampatterns; pulse type, shape, length, and power; frequency and sampling rate), platform (speed and depth), and environment (wind speed and direction, backscattering strengths, and propagation loss). Volume, surface, and/or bottom reverberation as seen by a multiple beam sonar on a moving platform is generated. The approach utilizes recent developments in linear spectral prediction research in which the spectra of stochastic processes are modeled as rational functions and algorithms are used to efficiently compute optimal estimates of coefficients which specify the spectra. A two-fold sequence is formulated; first, the expected reverberation spectra for all beams are predicted and, second, the stochastic time series are generated from the expected spectra. The expected spectra are predicted using a numerical implementation, referred to as the REVSPEC (reverberation spectrum) model, of a general formulation of Faure, Ol'shevskii, and Middleton. Given the spectra, the Levinson-Durbin method is used to solve the Yule-Walker equations of the autoregressive formulation of linear spectral prediction. The numerical implementation of the approach, referred to as the REVSIM (reverberation simulation) model, produces nonstationary coherent multiple-beam reverberation time series. The formulation of the REVSIM model is presented and typical results given. A comparison is made between the simulation outputs of the REVSIM model and those of the REVGEN (reverberation generator) model, a standard well-accepted time series simulation model, to demonstrate the validity of the new approach.     

Estimation of methane fluxes from bottom sediments of Lake Baikal

Methane bubble fluxes in gas flares from bottom sediments in Lake Baikal were estimated for the first time using hydroacoustic methods. Earlier work has demonstrated the occurrence of gas seeps both inside and outside of areas where bottom simulating reflectors were identified in seismic profiles. Fluxes ranged from 14 to 216 tons per year, with the flux for the entire area of the central and southern basins ranging from 1,400 to 2,800 tons per year. Comparison with other water bodies showed that fluxes from the most intensive Baikal flares were similar to those in the Norwegian and Okhotsk seas. Gas hydrates decompose at the lower boundary of the gas hydrate stability zone due to sedimentation. Calculation of the amount of methane produced due to sedimentation gave a total of between 2,600 and 14,000 tons per year for the central and southern basins of the lake. Based on rough estimation, the total flux from shallow- and deep-water gas seeps is similar to the amount of methane produced due to sedimentation. This suggests that gas hydrates possibly occupy much more than 10?% of the pore volume near the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, or that there are other reasons for gas hydrate dissociation and bubble flux from these bottom sediments.     

A method for synthesizing 3D images of the ocean bottom from interferometric side scan sonar

A method for synthesizing 3D images of scanned objects based on the output data of bathymetric and amplitude channels obtained from intereferometric side scan sonar is discussed.     

Converting bottom loss measured from a rough-layered sediment tothe equivalent `flat-bottom' loss

A correction factor is derived that can be applied to the measured data to convert it from rough surface loss to the equivalent loss if the interfaces had been smooth. With this correction, the data can be made to conform to the assumptions of the model, which should lead the inversion process to a better fitting set of parameters. Two examples of this application are shown in thin sediments in which the correction gave improved model/data correlations and lower squared errors. The choice of a random Gaussian characterization restricts the use of this correction to Damuth Provinces II and III, where the stochastic nature of the roughness is evident     

混浊水域多波束反向散射强度传播损失改正

为了改善现有的反向散射强度传播损失改正方法在混浊水域适应性较弱的问题,提出了混浊水域声传播损失计算模型。首先利用不同深度的海洋环境参数构建声波吸收系数剖面,然后基于声速,沿波束传播路径,对每个波束分层计算传播损失。实验分析表明,本方法传播损失改正效果最佳,其Spearman等级相关系数绝对值仅为0.04,远小于传统模型和TVG改正,大大减弱了混浊水域情况下多波束回波强度与传播距离的相关性,有效改善了多波束声呐图像的质量。     

Application of beam forming techniques to measurements of acoustic scattering from the ocean bottom

Signals from an explosive source backscattered from the seafloor and received at long range by hydrophones of a towed array are processed to estimate the directional distribution of energy for a given time increment. As assembly of these data shows the time and amplitude of scattering features, and after conversion to distance, the geographic location of the return. A frequency-domain beam-forming procedure is used in which beam levels are averaged over a given band of a broad-band source. The processing is applied to experimental data obtained in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The major backscattering occurred at the Baconi Seamounts and the coastal margin of Sardinia.     

Development of a high target strength passive acoustic reflectorfor low-frequency sonar applications

The objective of this study was development of broadband, high target strength, passive acoustic reflectors. These reflectors would provide convenient, low-cost targets for low-frequency sonar trials and fleet exercises. The primary development goals included controlled, stable monostatic and bistatic reflectivity, and adjustable deployment depth down to 90 m (300 ft). The development process used both computer models and scaled physical models to find the most effective configuration capable of meeting the project goals. Review of acoustic scattering theory showed that acoustically soft reflectors (bubbly liquids or air-filled spheres and cylinders) provide higher target strength values than similarly sized hard reflectors (metal spheres or corner reflectors). Air-filled cylinders were found to provide the highest target strength values and widest useful bandwidth for a given reflector volume. This is a result of the tube resonance that occurs at ka=0.02 at the depth range of interest where k is the acoustic wavenumber and a is the tube radius. Air-filled cylinder target strength at resonance is about equal to its target strength at ka=1.0 with a deviation less than ±4 dB between these values. Guided by these study results, a prototype reflector was assembled using a 16-m length of air-filled gum rubber tubing, 5.7 cm in diameter (3.2-cm ID). A SCUBA regulator attached to a small air tank maintained tubing inflation. Test results at a depth of 90 m showed an effective target strength of 12 dB at 250 Hz with a deviation less than ±2 dB from 200 to 400 Hz. This is equivalent to the target strength of a 16-m-diameter perfectly reflecting sphere-an object with a volume about 52000 times that of the prototype cylinder reflector     

海底声散射特性研究进展

海底是水下声场的重要边界,其声散射特性对水下声场空间结构及分布规律具有至关重要的影响。对目前国际上海底声散射特性研究方面的进展进行了系统的分析和总结,从海底声散射测量技术、海底声散射特性及机理、海底声散射预测模型3个方面进行了论述,并提出了未来研究的方向、研究重点与难点。该工作对于充分了解和认识海底声散射研究的目前现状和未来发展趋势具有很好的借鉴和指导意义。     

The perturbation characterization of reverberation from awind-generated bubbly ocean surface. I. Theory and a comparison ofbackscattering strength predictions with data

A joint surface roughness/volumetric perturbation scattering theory is utilized to characterize bubbly ocean surface reverberation. Backscattering strength predictions are shown to be consistent with observed reverberation phenomena such as critical wind speeds, excess levels due to volumetric scattering, and saturation     

Transfer matrix of linear water wave scattering over a stepwise bottom

For a two-dimensional linear wave scattering problem, a new transfer matrix incorporating evanescent modes is developed, from which the solution of a scattered wave field over a stepwise topography is directly obtained. The present method is shown to be capable of solving practical scattering problems with complicated bedforms, for which application of the conventional methods has been fairly limited. Highly accurate numerical solutions for sufficiently large systems are presented, and the computational efficiency of the present method is demonstrated. The interaction of bars in periodic beds is examined, and changes in the reflection coefficient with increasing number of bars are illustrated.     

Simulation of non-Rayleigh reverberation and clutter

The simulation of active sonar reverberation time series has traditionally been done using either a computationally intensive point-scatterer model or a Rayleigh-distributed reverberation-envelope model with a time-varying power level. Although adequate in scenarios where reverberation arises from a multitude of scatterers, the Rayleigh model is not representative of the target-like non-Rayleigh reverberation or clutter commonly observed with modern high-resolution sonar systems operating in shallow-water environments. In this paper, techniques for simulating non-Rayleigh reverberation are developed within the context of the finite-number-of-scatterers representation of K-distributed reverberation, which allows control of the reverberation-envelope statistics as a function of system (beamwidth and bandwidth) and environmental (scatterer density and size) parameters. To avoid the high computational effort of the point-scatterer model, reverberation is simulated at the output of the matched filter and is generated using efficient approximate methods for forming K-distributed random variables. Finite impulse response filters are used to introduce the effects of multipath propagation and the shape of the reverberation power spectrum, the latter of which requires the development of a prewarping of the K distribution parameters to control the reverberation-envelope statistics. The simulation methods presented in this paper will be useful in the testing and evaluation of active sonar signal processing algorithms, as well as for simulation-based research on the effects of the sonar system and environment on the reverberation-envelope probability density function.