Measurements of Monostatic Bottom Backscattering Strengths in Shallow Water of the Yellow Sea

ABSTRACT: Measurements of bottom backscattering strengths in a frequency range of 6-14 kHz were made on the shallow water off the southern Gyeonggi Bay in Yellow Sea in May 2013, as part of the KIOST-HYU joint acoustics experiment. Geological surveys for the experimental area were performed using multi-beam echo sounder, sparker system, and grab sampling to investigate the bottom topography, sub-bottom profile and composition of surficial sediment, respectively. In this paper, the backscattering strengths as a function of grazing angle (in range of 28° ~ 69°) were estimated and compared to the predictions obtained by Lambert’s law and APL-UW scattering model. Finally, the effects of geoacoustic parameters corresponding to the experimental area on the backscattering strengths are discussed.Keywords: Bottom backscattering, Reverberation, Bottom roughness, Seafloor volume scattering PACS numbers: 43.30.Gv, 43.30.Hw†Corresponding author: Jee Woong Choi (choijw@hanyang.ac.kr) Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan15588, Republic of Korea(Tel: 82-31-400-5531, Fax: 82-31-406-6255)