Amplitude and Phase Sonar Calibration and the Use of Target Phase for Enhanced Acoustic Target Characterisation
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Amplitude and phase sonar calibration and the use of target phase for enhanced acoustic target characterisation By Alan Islas-Cital A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering College of Engineering and Physical Sciences The University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT October 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the incorporation of target phase into sonar signal processing, for enhanced information in the context of acoustical oceanography. A sonar system phase calibration method, which includes both the amplitude and phase response is proposed. The technique is an extension of the widespread standard-target sonar calibration method, based on the use of metallic spheres as standard targets. Frequency domain data processing is used, with target phase measured as a phase angle difference between two frequency components. This approach minimizes the impact of range uncertainties in the calibration process. Calibration accuracy is examined by comparison to theoretical full-wave modal solutions. The system complex response is obtained for an operating frequency of 50 to 150 kHz, and sources of ambiguity are examined. The calibrated broadband sonar system is then used to study the complex scattering of objects important for the modelling of marine organism echoes, such as elastic spheres, fluid-filled shells, cylinders and prolate spheroids. Underlying echo formation mechanisms and their interaction are explored. Phase-sensitive sonar systems could be important for the acquisition of increased levels of information, crucial for the development of automated species identification. Studies of sonar system phase calibration and complex scattering from fundamental shapes are necessary in order to incorporate this type of fully-coherent processing into scientific acoustic instruments. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to gratefully acknowledge the following people and institutions. The Mexican National Committee for Science and Technology, for providing funding and making this possible. My supervisor, Mr. Phil Atkins, for his warm encouragement, valuable advice, and unending patience. For providing multiple chances for improvement and personal growth. For his kindness and generosity. I remain indebted. Dr. Trevor Francis, for developing the BEM models used in this work, and kindly sharing his knowledge and expertise. Dr. Andrew Foo, for providing friendship, support and advice as a excellent colleague and mentor. Dr. Rubén Picó and Ms. Nuria González. For their help in developing acoustic scattering models with COMSOL and for their friendship. The staff in School of Engineering for all their support. Mr. Warren Hay, for machining some of the metallic objects used as targets. Ms. Mary Winkles, Ms. Clare Walsh and Tony, for all their help at various points during these years. Ms. Yina Guo, for all her support, understanding and motivation. For making my life so much better during these challenging and exciting times. Finally, to my parents Elizabeth and Cecilio, my brother Fabián and my sister Nadia. This is for you, I missed you much. Esto es para ustedes, los quiero y los extraño. Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.1 Background and importance of acoustical oceanography ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.2 Challenges of acoustical oceanography ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.2.1 Quantitative methods ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.2.2 Uncertainties in acoustical oceanography ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.3 Enhanced information in active sonar .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.4 Echo phase as an additional sonar parameter ...................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.5 Importance of sonar system calibration ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.6 Research purpose and objectives ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.6.1 Research objectives ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.6.2 Original contributions .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.6.3 Thesis structure ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2 ACOUSTIC CHARACTERIZATION OF UNDERWATER TARGETSError! Bookmark not defined. 2.1 Coherent and incoherent processing ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1.1 Coherent transducer operation ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1.2 Echoes from multiple targets ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1.3 Echoes from a single target ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1.4 Multiple paths .................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2 Linear systems approach to acoustic scattering ................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2.1 The matched-filter receiver ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2.2 Target resolution and chirp transmissions ................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2.3 The form function ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3 Marine organism scattering ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.1 Target strength measurements ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2 Marine organism scattering modelling ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2.1 Acoustic models of fish .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2.2 The acoustic role of the swimbladder ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2.3 Acoustic models of zooplankton ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2.4 The role of target orientation ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3 Fish and zooplankton species identification using sonarError! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3.1 Broadband approaches to species identification .......... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3.2 Target phase for acoustic target identification ............. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4 Acoustic scattering of canonical geometrical targets ........... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.1 Sound scattering solution approaches ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.1.1 Kirchhoff method ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.1.2 Exact analytical solutions ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.1.3 Approximations for more complex geometries............. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.2 Elastic resonances, normal modes and circumferential wavesError! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.3 Solid spheres .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.4 Kirchhoff approximation ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.5 Modal solution ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.6 Fluid-filled shells ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.7 Infinite and finite cylinders ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4.8 Prolate spheroids ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3 SONAR TARGET PHASE INFORMATION .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1 Applications of signal phase information .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.1 Phase-based time-delay measurements ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.2 Phase-based velocity and dispersion measurements .... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.3 Target-induced phase measurements ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.2 Coherent and incoherent scattering from a single target .... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.3 Target echo phase in biosonar ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4 Target phase measurements ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4.1 Linear range correction .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4.2 Phase unwrapping ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4.3 Rate-of-change of phase .................................................