Accession Number:

AD1030090

Title:

Bottom Backscattering Strengths Measured in Shallow and Deep Water

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report,01 Aug 1993,01 Sep 2016

Corporate Author:

NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON United States

Personal Author(s):

• Gauss ,Roger C
• Kunz,Edward L
• Fialkowski,Joseph M
• Menis,Richard

Report Date:

2017-01-18

Pagination or Media Count:

144.0

Abstract:

For a low-frequency LF 1 kHz or mid-frequency MF 1 to 10 kHz active sonar, scattering from the seafloor, coupled with propagation conditions, can severely limit the detectability of returns from features of interest. Acoustic scattering from the seabed can be a complex mix of surface roughness and volume heterogeneity contributions, so that reverberation levels can vary dramatically, depending on the local geology. The Naval Research Laboratory NRL performed LF and MF, direct-path bottom backscattering strength BBS measurements at 105 sites over 6 experiments in 5 distinct environments from 1993 to 2005. This report presents the BBS results from these experiments, as well as empirical fits to the MF results.

Descriptors:

• backscattering
• active sonar
• seabed
• Underwater acoustics
• Reverberation
• low frequencies
• surface roughness
• sonar signals
• data processing

Subject Categories:

• Acoustic Detection and Detectors
• Acoustics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE