Abstract
The chirp sonar is a calibrated wide-band digital FM sonar that provides quantitative, high-resolution, low-noise subbottom data. In addition, it generates an acoustic pulse with special frequency domain weighting that provides nearly constant resolution with depth. The chirp sonar was developed with ONR funding to support the objective of remote acoustic classification of seafloor sediments. In addition to producing high-resolution images, the calibrated digitally recorded data are processed to estimate surficial reflection coefficients as well as a complete sediment acoustic impulse profile. In this paper, the focus is on the analysis of surficial sediments in Narragansett Bay, RI. Quantitative acoustic returns from the chirp sonar are used to estimate surficial acoustic impedance and to predict the sediment type. The estimates are compared to “ground truth” values determined from core samples. The comparisons show a high correlation between the core-determined sediment type and the estimates from the acoustic measurements. In concert with the field work, sediment classification models for various depositional environments are being developed. A robust model for deep-sea carbonates has been completed and more generalized models are now under development that predict impedance, density, porosity, compressibility, and rigidity. [Work supported by ONR.]
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