Techniques for Measuring Backscattering from the Sea Floor with an Array

Backscattering from the seafloor from an explosive sound source is received by an array and processed to form images of backscattering features of the seafloor and to estimate scattering strength. The images are helpful in determining parameters used for calculating scattering strengths of specific physiographic features and understanding the results. Images of some features are improved by processing with a non-linear technique. Reverberation measurements in the Tyrrhenian Sea show that scattering from the coastal margin occurs in two distinct zones. Scattering strength increases slowly with frequency over the 700 Hz band.