A Method for Calculating Bottom Backscattering Strength Using Omnidirectional Projector and Omnidirectional Hydrophone

A method of obtaining bottom backscattering strength by employing an omnidirectional projector and omnidirectional hydrophone is proposed. The backscattering strength is extracted from monostatic backscattering data. The method was adopted in an experiment conducted in the South Yellow Sea of China. The seafloor surface was relatively smooth and covered by a small quantity of shell fragments, as observed through a digital camera system. Sampling data showed that the main component of the sediment at this experimental site was fine sand. In this paper, we detail the calculation method. Preliminary results of backscattering strength as a function of grazing angle (20°–70°) in the frequency range of 6–24 kHz are presented. The measured backscattering strength increased with the grazing angle and changed more rapidly at large grazing angles (60°–70°). A comparison of the data at different frequencies reveals that the measured backscattering strength substantially rises with the increase of acoustic frequency. A fitting curve of Lambert’s law against the measured data shows that the backscattering strength deviates from Lambert’s law at large grazing angles.