Predicted target strength analysis using computer techniques

Abstract

Target strength was predicted for various geometric objects by a computer ray tracing algorithm. The ray tracing theory assumes that the properties of sound at high frequencies, entailing wavelengths which are small compared with the size of the target objects, are analogous to light properties. This is a preliminary experiment still in progress. Four simple objects: Sphere, cylinder, cube, and disk, and two compound objects: Cylinder with spherical ends, I-beam frame structure, were investigated. The objects were created in an object-oriented ray tracing software package and rendered at various orientations to describe the reflective properties. A separate program was written to decode the ray traced images of the objects and determine their target strength. Current work will yield results to be compared with the empirical high-frequency target strength analysis results obtained at Naval Surface Warfare Center for Naval Research Labs and at Cooper Union’s Acoustical Research Center.