An Experimental Investigation of the Performance of a New Wideband, Directional Receiver/Transmitter Sonar System

Abstract

In this report, we describe a wideband projector/4-element receiver sonar system that we constructed. The wideband projector was a medium frequency multi-mode pipe projector and four wideband; rectangular 1-3 piezocomposite hydrophones were used as receive elements. The combined projector/receiver system has a combined beamwidth of about 2 degrees at a frequency of 45 kHz. The directional characteristics depend significantly upon the frequency. Measurements of the projectors transmit voltage response (TVR) curves and the projectors and receive elements beampatterns were carried out at the DRDC Atlantic barge facility and are described. This wideband system was tested in the DRDC Atlantic acoustic calibration tank and at the barge in a series of target-scattering detection/classification experiments that are described. In particular, one of the targets was a small aluminum-shelled float. A hole was drilled into the float that allowed different materials to be placed within and it was found that these resulting objects could be discriminated based on their echo. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of some of the problems that were encountered and future work.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2009
Accession Number
AD1005179

Entities

People

  • John Fawcett
  • Richard Fleming

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aluminum
  • Ball Bearings
  • Bandwidth
  • Broadband
  • Calibration
  • Classification
  • Detection
  • Directional
  • Elements
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Hydrophones
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Scattering
  • Security
  • Transmitters

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Phased Array Antenna Design.