Researches on the Laser-Induced Sound as the Sound Source of Imaging Sonar

Abstract

AbstractTo determine whether Laser Induced Sound (LIS) could be used as sound source of imaging sonar for minesweeper. Experimental environment and some important parameters are described. The structure and acoustic parameters of LIS transducer are articulated with a series of diagrams and formulae. Width and the directivity index of the beam of LIS transducer are achieved. The analysis of the feasibility of LIS as sound source of imaging sonar play an important role in this paper, which consist of four parts: analysis of distance resolution of sonar with LIS, the detection range of LIS under background noise, reverberation, thorough analysis of the feasibility of LIS as imaging sonar’s sound source. The results show that sonar with LIS as sound source could detect a metal ball with radius of 3 cm or the target with target strength of −50 dB, its range resolution and the maximum detection range are 5–8 times higher than the existing imaging sonar’s.KeywordsLaser induced soundImaging sonarSound sourceRange resolution