Shallow-Water High-Frequency Bottom Scattering off Panama City, Florida

Abstract

A series of bottom backscattering measurements was made in a flat, uniform, and isotropic area 19 miles south of Panama City, FL. Sidescan sonar, underwater television, stereo photography, high-resolution bathymetry, and sediment core analysis were used to locate and classify the experimental site. A sidescan sonar areal mosiac was constructed detailing the relationship between the experimental area and the surrounding topography. Bottom backscattering measurements were made as a function of frequency (20-180 kHJz), grazing angle (5 deg - 30 deg), azimuthal angle, and environmental conditions. Backscattering strengths were found to follow Lambert's law with little frequency dependence or measurable anisotropy. For this particular site, scattering strengths at 90 kHz were found to agree with predictions made using the Applied Physics Lab. - Univ. of Washington model. Keywords: Underwater acoustic scattering, Ocean bottom. Reprints.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADA198115

Entities

People

  • Kevin B. Briggs
  • P. Fleischer
  • R. I. Ray
  • S. Stanic
  • W. B. Sawyer

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Measurement
  • Acoustic Properties
  • Acoustic Scattering
  • Acoustics
  • Backscattering
  • Cameras
  • Grain Size
  • Grazing Angles
  • High Resolution
  • Measurement
  • Photographs
  • Photography
  • Physics
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Scattering
  • Seabed
  • Shallow Water

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Oceanography.
  • Urban Planning and Geography.