Resolution dependence of acoustic scattering statistics for complex seafloors

Abstract

Underwater Unmanned Vehicles (UUVs) utilize sonar perception to conduct sea floor mapping and target detection operations. However, cooperative surveys with multiple types of UUVs are difficult because platforms with different resolutions may generate different probability density functions (PDFs) of the magnitude of the complex pressure. An area of research that has not been adequately studied is the effects of resolution manipulation during the post-processing of high-resolution data from complex seafloor environments. This work analyzes synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) data collected from multiple seafloor geomorphologies surrounding Bergen, Norway to study the resolution dependence of scattering statistics for complex seafloors. Multi-look methods will be applied to reduce the resolution. The original data and reduced resolution data will be compared in terms of PDF amplitude and evaluated by standard goodness of fit tests with heavily tailed statistical models that are commonly used in the radar and sonar community, including mixture models. The goal of the paper is to provide a bridge to combining high-resolution and low-resolution sonar data together to enhance sonar perception. Data provided by the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment. [Funding provided by the Office of Naval Research.]