Synthetic aperture sonar
Encyclopedia
Synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) is a form of sonar
in which sophisticated post-processing of sonar data are used in ways closely analogous to synthetic aperture radar
. Synthetic aperture sonars combine a number of acoustic pings to form an image with much higher resolution than conventional sonars, typically 10 times higher. The principle of synthetic aperture sonar is to move a sonar along a line and illuminate the same spot on the sea floor with several pings. This produces a synthetic array equal to the distance traveled. By coherent reorganization of the data from all the pings, a synthetic aperture image is produced with improved along-track resolution. In contrast to conventional side-scan sonar, SAS processing provides range-independent along-track resolution. At maximum range the resolution can be magnitudes better than that of side-scan sonars.
For further reading, the Open Access Article: Introduction to Synthetic Aperture Sonar can be recommended as introduction for people familiar with Sonar Systems. For academics, the IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering article: Synthetic Aperture Sonar, A Review of Current Status gives an overview of the history and an extensive list of references for the community achievements up to 2009.
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
in which sophisticated post-processing of sonar data are used in ways closely analogous to synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar whose defining characteristic is its use of relative motion between an antenna and its target region to provide distinctive long-term coherent-signal variations that are exploited to obtain finer spatial resolution than is possible with conventional...
. Synthetic aperture sonars combine a number of acoustic pings to form an image with much higher resolution than conventional sonars, typically 10 times higher. The principle of synthetic aperture sonar is to move a sonar along a line and illuminate the same spot on the sea floor with several pings. This produces a synthetic array equal to the distance traveled. By coherent reorganization of the data from all the pings, a synthetic aperture image is produced with improved along-track resolution. In contrast to conventional side-scan sonar, SAS processing provides range-independent along-track resolution. At maximum range the resolution can be magnitudes better than that of side-scan sonars.
For further reading, the Open Access Article: Introduction to Synthetic Aperture Sonar can be recommended as introduction for people familiar with Sonar Systems. For academics, the IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering article: Synthetic Aperture Sonar, A Review of Current Status gives an overview of the history and an extensive list of references for the community achievements up to 2009.
See also
- beamformingBeamformingBeamforming is a signal processing technique used in sensor arrays for directional signal transmission or reception. This is achieved by combining elements in the array in a way where signals at particular angles experience constructive interference and while others experience destructive...
- phased arrayPhased arrayIn wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array...
- side-scan sonarSide-scan sonarSide-scan sonar is a category of sonar system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor...
- sonarSonarSonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
- underwater acousticsUnderwater acousticsUnderwater acoustics is the study of the propagation of sound in water and the interaction of the mechanical waves that constitute sound with the water and its boundaries. The water may be in the ocean, a lake or a tank. Typical frequencies associated with underwater acoustics are between 10 Hz and...