Inversion of Normal Incidence Backscattered Data: Getting Seabed Geoacoustic and Morphological Parameters

A model-based inversion approach for the estimation of geoacoustic and morphological properties of the seafloor uppermost layer is illustrated. Normal incidence backscattered data obtained using a parametric sonar as a sound source are inverted by comparison with model predictions in a generalized time-frequency domain. Results from several shallow-water sites in the Mediterranean Sea are presented and compared with ground truth, demonstrating good agreement between estimation and direct measurements. The field trial has provided valuable lessons about how best to conduct such an experiment and analyze the data.