What is a sonar?

Sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) is a method that uses sound waves
to navigate and detect objects. It is usually used in oceans and sea waters to
communicate, explore, and for mapping purposes. SONAR comes in very handy for
detecting objects, vessels, icebergs, submarines, or any other hazards underwater. It
produces a sound wave that is then reflected by the object and received again on the
water floor, measuring different parameters of that reflected sound wave the object can
be located. Sound waves are used in the SONAR technique because sound travels farther
in oceans than light waves, radar, or any other wave. SONAR is considered to be the
critical technique in acoustics and hydro acoustics (studies of underwater).

SONAR was developed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490 by a simple vessel; this technique
was later on matured in World War 1 to tackle the submarines, as submarines were the
war-winning symbol at that time and had no counter technique. SONAR was not only
useful for submarine tracking, but the rescue parties also used it to locate the
shipwrecks or map the sea.

Working of SONAR

Nature-inspired the idea of SONAR. Dolphins and Whales under the Sea catch their prey
using the same technique. They make a unique kind of sound known as clicks; when this
sound hits an object and reflects back to them, they can track their location and identify
them. Similarly, when SONAR sends off the sound waves, and these waves are reflected
to the source, an estimate of distance, speed, and direction of the object is produced by
measuring the sound wave’s time to reach the receiver.

To measure the distance from the source, the total time taken from transmission to
reception is measured, as the speed of sound is known, comparing both could get us the
exact distance. To measure bearing, many sophisticated tools and apparatus are used.
These tools could capture very minute and delicate details like modern hydrophones.

For energy calculation, the received sound is processed through numerous signal
processors; for modern SONARs, all the process is done by software and computer tools.
The speed of an object is measured by SONAR using Doppler’s Effect. Doppler’s Effect
measures the change in wavelength and wave frequency while the wave source and its
observer are in relative motion.
SONARs are of two types, Active and Passive. They are used according to their utility.

Active Sonar

Active SONAR comprises a sound projector (Transmitter) and a receiver. Active Sonar
projects a sound and waits for the reflection of it. This projected sound is produced by
electro transducers and amplifiers. The reflected sound is then again received by the
transducer. Tonpilz transducers are majorly used for Active Transducers; sometimes,
their design is altered to achieve optimum performance widening bandwidth. It is not
necessary to always use the sound from transducers. Occasionally, sound from external
means is preferred, like chemical explosions or sound from shotguns or airguns.
Transducers can determine the distance, direction, orientation, and range of an object.

Passive Sonar

Passive SONARS are only capable of detecting noise. They are also referred to as
listening SONARs. They only receive signals from boats, ships, submarines, dolphins, or
whales. They are unable to transmit their own pulses. Passive SONARs are usually used
for Military and Navy Missions as they don’t want to be noticed but would like to know
who else is present in their oceans. Passive Radars are used with coordination of other
passive SONARs and passive devices to calculate different parameters like range,
direction, etc

SONAR may use two types of sound waves depending upon their use, InfraSonics and
UltraSonics. The term infrasonic and ultrasonic is used for sound waves alone rather than
electromagnetic or any other kind of wave, and both differ based on their frequency.
Both Ultra and Infra Sonics and inaudible to human hearing. Infrasonic are below the
human hearing limit and have a frequency of less than 20Hz. Infrasonic includes the
eruption of volcanoes and Earthquakes. Ultrasonic is above the human hearing limit, and
they have a frequency of 20k Hz.

However, Infrasonic is not preferred in the Sonar technique, especially in active SONAR,
because infrasonic are not able to move in the water. Also, their wavelengths are very
long, due to which they can’t capture too much energy in their SOFAR channels. But both
are very useful as infrasonic can travel more distance, and ultrasonic provide more
resolution.

Applications:
SONARs have great use in modern warfare, especially for the navy, preventing them
from revealing the location to locate submarines as radar is not efficient in deep waters.
SONAR is the only thing that could help you in the Oceans. A special kind of SONAR is
used by ships to overcome the problem of flow noise; they are known as towed SONAR.
Torpedoes are also equipped with active and passive SONARs to guide them directly
and accurately to the target.

SONARs are also used to locate or hide the explosive mines. SONARs are even used for
underwater communication. The use of sonar is not only limited to the navy; helicopters
and aircraft are also equipped with a special kind of sonar which can identify submarines
from the air. SONARs are the only thing over which authorities depend for the
surveillance and security of their seas and oceans.
One of the important industries that is growing in demand and has excellent use of
SONAR is fishing. Sound waves travel differently than water because the bladder of fish
is filled with air and has high density compared to seawater.
The process used to measure the depth of water beneath boats and ships is echo
sounding; it is a type of active sonar. It is the traveling of a sound wav
Sonar Definition
What is SONAR?
The SONAR stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging. Here, Navigation signifies the
process to detect the route or the direction towards the destination. Here, Navigation
implies the method to detect the object under the water. Navigation can also be defined
as submarine navigation. The Ranging signifies the distance between the device and the
object. It means that SONAR is a device used to detect the objects under the water by
sending sound waves or echo. Sound waves are preferred because it travels faster in
water than any other medium (light waves or radar waves). Let's have a look at its
definition.

Definition

SONAR or Sound Navigation and Ranging are a system or technology used to detect the objects under
water by sending the sound waves that is further reflected by the objects.

History

o SONAR was initially developed during World War I to detect icebergs and
submarines.
o Around the 1930s, the SONAR was used to detect the pool of fishes.
o By the end of World War II, SONAR was used to detect and hunt whales in the
oceans.
o Many improvements were made, and the scientist started to use it in the
oceanographic research.
o The study of sound propagation under the ocean or sea saw a rapid development
around World War II.
o The term SONAR was proposed around 1942.
o The study of life in oceans with the help of acoustic was implemented in the 20 th
o It was preferred in the biological as well as non-biological study. The non-biological
study is the research of military operations, navigation, etc.
o The active acoustic ranging devices were used to find the ocean depth and marine
organisms.
o SONAR was also used to detect and identify the invertebrates and fishes.
o New technology and sensitive equipment were used in the SONAR with the
development of the latest technology.
Principle
The Sound Navigation and Ranging system (SONAR) uses ultrasonic sound waves of high
frequency to detect the object or organism underwater.

Working Process of SONAR

SONAR sends sound waves under the water in oceans. We can also say that it sends
pulses of sound waves under the water. The phenomenon of reflected waves from the
object is shown below:

The concept of SONAR is based on a similar phenomenon as shown above.

The speed of sound is already known. Hence, SONAR can easily calculate the distance
with the help of time between

Types of SONAR
SONAR uses either a transducer or acoustic waves to detect the objects underwater.

The process of detection of the objects is similar to the radar system. SONAR is
categorized into two types, namely Active SONAR and passive SONAR.

Let's discuss the above types of SONARs in detail.

Active SONAR
The active Sound Navigation Ranging system uses transducers as the source for emitting
sound waves. The transducers emit acoustic sound waves in the form of signals or
pulses.
These waves pass under the water. As soon as the wave reaches the object, it reflects.
The reflected wave from the object reaches the transducer. The speed of sound waves
pulses is fixed. SONAR measures the time between the sending and receiving of sound
waves. It helps in calculating the distance between the SONAR and the object. In similar
ways, the depth of oceans, etc., can be easily calculated with the help of SONAR.

It is shown below:

Passive SONAR
Passive SONAR does not emit its own sound waves like Active SONAR. Thus, passive
SONAR is commonly used for scientific research and military applications. Such
applications do want their signal or waves to be found by others. Passive SONAR listens
to the acoustic signals transmitted by the external sources.
The passive SONAR detects the upcoming sound waves from the object under water in
the oceans. It can only measure the range if it is used in combination with the other
passive listening devices.

SONAR Concept
The concept of Sound Navigation and Ranging systems arises from bat or whales. The
bats emit echolocation sound waves at night. It helps them to catch the prey. The
echoes transmitted by the bats reflect after striking the object (particularly insects). The
reflected echoes help bats to determine the distance of the insect. Such a process is also
known as bio-SONAR.

Sound waves have less attenuation in the water. Sound waves are also considered
mechanical waves, which do not lose any energy inside the water.

Advantages of SONAR
The advantages of the Sound Navigation and Ranging system are listed below:

o High accuracy
o Faster speed
o Less attenuation in water
o Inexpensive
o It is used for various water activities and oceanographic research.

Disadvantages of SONAR
The disadvantages of the Sound Navigation and Ranging system are listed below:

o The sound waves emitted by the SONAR can interfere with the marine organism,
threatening their lives.
o High-frequency waves are required to overcome the losses under the water. Such
high-frequency waves act as a threat to living creatures under the water.

Applications of SONAR
The applications of Sound Navigation and Ranging system are listed below:

o Detection of water organisms.

o Detection of underwater icebergs.
o Detection of an underwater threat, if any.
o Detection of submarines.
o Detection of cancer cells in medical imaging is also performed using the method
known as a sonogram.
o Detection of enemy vessels in the military.
o Detecting damages in the large pipelines carrying oil and gas.
o Detection of the depth of the sea and oceans.
o To determines the speed of the object present underwater.
SONAR is the acronym for Sound Navigation and Ranging. The knowledge and understanding of
underwater sound were discovered by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1490.

The first active sonar designed in the same way was invented and developed as a direct
consequence of the loss of Titanic in 1912. Where the basic requirement was to detect icebergs in 2
miles of distance. Underwater sound is used both by whales and dolphins for communication and
echolocation.

Reginald Fessenden was the inventor of SONAR. This is a method for detecting, locating and
determining the speed of objects through the use of reflected sounds. This is a system transmitted
along with reflected underwater sound waves for detecting and locating submerged objects. Some
animals use sound as a medium of communication and object detection for years. Technologies have
got the idea to make this device for detecting and locating objects underwater.

History and Background

Though SONAR was invented with the purpose of detecting icebergs for the very first time, during
World War 1, detecting submarines became a very important thing to look upon. The main idea of
inventing such a device over many more things in common though such as,

 Safe diving purpose

 To detect submarines during a war
 Commercial Fishing
 To detect depth
 As a communicating system within the sea surface
Types of SONAR
SONAR is of two types.

1. Active sonar
2. Passive sonar

 Active SONAR: It is made of a sound transmitter as well as a receiver. And there are three modes of
operation.
o Monostatic mode: when transmitter and the receiver are at the same point
o Bistatic mode: when the transmitter and the receiver are separated by some distance
o Multistate mode: when more than one transmitter is used and they are at some basic distance

Most SONARs are incorporated mono statically in the same way and often get used for transmission
as well as reception. Active sonar develops a pulse of sound which is called a “ping” as well as then
listens for reflection associated with the pulse. This pulse of sound is fundamentally created
electronically by the usage of a projector which consists of a single generator, power amplifier as well
as an electro acoustic transducer. For measuring the distance of a specific object the stipulated time
for the transmission of a pulse in reception is measured along with the conversion into a range by
knowledge of the speed of sound. In order to measure the bearings different hydrophones are used.

Functional Components
 Transmitter which creates outgoing pulse
 Transducer array improves the directivity index
 Beamforming processor create different beams
 Duplexer switch which connects transmitter and receiver
 Synchronizer provides coordination
 Receiver collects the received energy
 Display puts all the detected information into a visual format
 A-scan is the signal for a portion of the listening cycle
 Plan position indicator represents the intensity on the display

 Passive SONAR: It is a decision which listens without transmitting. This has a wide variety of techniques to
identify the source of detected sounds. Passive solar system has a large sonic database but the operator
classifies signals by the use of computers and uses these databases for identifying classes of ships as well
as action

Functional Components:
The functional components of passive solar system are
  Hydrophone array to detect the acoustic energy emitted from the target
 The cylindrical array of operators at a fixed vertical angle which is usually downward. Used for bottom
bound detection
 Beamforming processor which applies a unique set of time shifts to the signal to create a particular beam
 Frequency analyzer which breaks the signal into separate frequencies

Application of SONAR System

 It is used to find the actual depth of sea
 Sonar system is used to find lost ships and submarines
 This has very usefulness in ocean surveillance systems
 They are also used by the navy to detect locations of enemy submarines
 Used for underwater security
 Used in fishing etc

Limitations:
The sonar system has an adverse effect on marine animals like dolphins and whales.

This leads whales into painful and fatal decompression sickness.

A lot of noise generated by sonar systems is harmful for the ecosystem.

Sonar systems with high intensity may cause a temporary shift in hearing threshold of some fishes.

Conclusion
SONAR is a method of detecting, locating and determining the speed of objects through the use of
reflected sound waves. The acoustic frequencies used in SONAR systems vary from very low
(infrasonic) to extremely high (ultrasonic). Sound waves are reflected by the underwater object which
is received at the receiver. The time taken by the sound wave to come back is recorded. This device
or method is very helpful to detect sound and to locate objects underwater by the wavelength
measurement. This system has a wide use in commercial fishing, for the safe diving purpose, to
detect submarines during war etc.
Sonar systems have many applications.This guide explains all you need to know about sonar systems, including using
sonar for tunnel inspections, search and recovery missions, and more.

The video above is an example of how sonar can help with underwater target identification and navigating toward it. Sonar
is often the favourite tool in the toolkit for those that work underwater. Utilizing sonar is more of an art than science in
many cases, so it can be frustrating for those initially exposed to it. It is a powerful option to have though as it can provide
position information, context for the environment around you, and imaging capabilities in even the murkiest water.

There are different types of sensors that utilize acoustic technology:

 Echosounders / Altimeters
 Mechanical Scanning (CHIRP, Sector Scanning)
 Doppler Velocity Logs
 Ultra Short Baseline Positioning
 Side Scan Sonars
 2D Imaging Sonars
 3D Imaging Sonars
These technologies all serve different purposes. This article focuses on how sonars help with underwater inspections and
surveys.

Sonars help with:

 Navigation in Murky Water or Large, Open Spaces

 Identification of Key Targets
 Helping measure features such as sediment levels or defect size
 Situational awareness
Underwater applications for sonar include:

 Bathymetric Surveys
 Pipeline Inspections
 Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Mine Countermeasures
 Search and Recovery
 Marine Salvage
 Infrastructure Inspections
 Offshore Wind Installation Support Surveys
 Ocean Science, Discovery, & Academic Research
Since GPS does not work underwater and getting good quality imagery with just a camera can be a challenge, especially
in murky water, sonar is an excellent technology for anyone with underwater work to understand and utilize.

WHAT IS SONAR AND HOW IS IT USED?

SONAR(short for sound navigation and ranging) is a method by which sound waves are used to locate/map out objects
and landscapes in the environment. In essence, a cluster of sound waves directs towards any environment. While some
waves will bounce off the objects, others will reflect towards the emitter.

For instance, if you are to insert a tube into the open sea and hold the other end up to your ear, you will definitely be a
sight to see. However, you will be able to hear the sounds of the animals down below and the groaning of the ships far
away.

It's often touted that Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to discover this phenomenon, but this cannot be proven true. The
method behind SONAR wasn't invited recently by humans, it has been in use as a natural function of life by whales, bats,
and other animals for millions of years.

With the understanding of the time passed and the speed of sound before the wave returns, the receiver can assess the
distance of the object from the emitter. Even though SONAR works in the open air, it's most effective underwater. This
has to do with the fact that sound travels further in water.

To the potential of SONAR, whales can discern movement and object shape the size of rocks from over 60 feet away. In
fact, whales rely on SONAR more than they do on their kin, forage, or sight.

HOW DOES SONAR WORK?

The components of an active sonar system will consist of a display, transducer, transmitter, and receiver. Active sonar
works by transmitting an impulse directly from the transmitter and transmuting it into a wave of sound with the transducer.
When the wave hits an object, the sound will rebound.

The echo then returns to the transducer, which transmutes the sound into an electrical impulse amplified by the receiver.
This data is then sent to the display. Sometimes, the transducer helps detect sound waves as well as transmit them.

How does one detect the sound source and calculate the distance of the object from the origin? Using a multitude of
hydrophone sensors, SONAR systems record the intensity of the sound and phase when each ping hits a sensor.

Phase is the timing delay that occurs when receiving the sound wave. The sensor that records the greatest amplitude and
has the least phase is the one nearest to the point of reflection.

Another important factor in SONAR performance is the environment of use. The performance of SONAR systems is
variable based on the environment of the ocean, which is unpredictable at times. Regular ocean studies are critical for
acoustic propagation models to ensure accurate estimation of ranges.

For example, one of the challenges in SONAR is scattering. This phenomenon occurs from small objects in the body of
water from the depth of the bottom to the height of the surface. Much like light scatters from light in the fog, the same is
similarly applied to this water interference.
 TYPES OF SONAR SYSTEMS
At some point, humans have developed SONAR with superior resolutions and range. The simplest SONAR systems
consist of our ears and voice box. It's the same system we use when we scream when atop a mountain and hear our
echo.

However, SONAR developed by the military can travel thousands of miles. The sweeping range allows the system to
cover 80% of the ocean beds from sound waves that use a mere 4 vantage points.

Despite the efficacy of light and the superior velocity of RADAR, only SONAR helps create seafloor maps, develop
nautical charts, predict hazards, and discover shipwrecks.

As a matter of fact, the SONAR patent had experienced sanctions after the events of the Titanic. The purpose of the
SONAR was and is to identify objects under the surface that might prove challenging to ships. Furthermore, the World
Wars brought serious advancements that pushed forward the importance of warfare submarines and underwater
surveillance. From this advancement, two main types of sonar emerged; active and passive.

Active Sonar

Active sonar relies on a projector and a receiver to determine range, bearing and relative motion of the target. The
acoustic projector generates a sound wave that spreads outward and is then reflected back by a target object. The
receiver then picks up and analyzes this reflected signal.

One example of active SONAR are submarine vessels. Submarines transmit acoustic energy and discover objects in the
vicinity via the time delay between the acquisition of the echo.

Besides being able to detect the presence of an object, the rise of advanced modern tools allows us to determine the size,
orientation, and shape of an object with great detail.

Deep Trekker ROVs utilize active sonar which sends out a sound wave at a particular frequency and then listens for how
long it takes for that sound wave to return after bouncing off objects in the water and the seafloor. Multibeam imaging
sonar uses multiple beams of sound to paint an image of what’s in front of the ROV.

Passive Sonar

In surveillance scenarios, the systems used are passive SONAR. In this case, the method does not need a local
transmitter because it listens to waves transmitted by other devices.

This means the device gathers sounds made by sea life, ships, and other depth surfaces. However, the machines in a
passive system cannot determine the location of the sound source without the assistance of listening devices. They must
work together to determine the transmitter location without having their presence known (in a military setting).

CHIRP Sonar

Compressed High-Intensity Radar Pulse or CHIRP sonar tool often used for bottom-tracking and fish-finding. Instead of
pinging a single frequency like traditional 2D sonar, Chirping devices transmit a sweeping range of frequencies. With each
pulse, the transducer starts vibrating at a low frequency, which is then modulated upward to a high frequency over the
duration of the pulse

APPLICATIONS OF SONAR SYSTEMS

SONAR technology is not exclusively used by the military, so let's take a look where else it's used.

Bathymetric studies
Bathymetry is the study of the "beds" or "floors" of water bodies, including the ocean, rivers, streams, and lakes. In this
circumstance, SONAR is subject to use to determine the depth of ocean floors, allowing for safe navigation of the waters.
This is how nautical charts have depth readings on them.
Pipeline inspections

Pipeline inspections can be difficult in murky water with high-frequency SONAR. Gas and oil companies use SONAR to
detect damage, spans, and rock dump integrity.
Explosive Ordinance Disposal / Mine Countermeasures

Furthermore, SONAR is also used to detect explosive danger underwater. As the seafloors become exploited, it's
important to identify cables and pipes in them. Finding unexploded bombs, mines, and torpedoes is important for overall
safety and wellbeing. Finally SONAR is also fitted into submarines and ships to allow for underwater communication with
other entities. It is common to see a towed or boat mounted side scan sonar used to scan large areas in patterns for
anomalies, and then use a ROV with imaging sonar to reidentify the target and navigate toward it to confirm if it is the
explosive.
Search and Recovery (Public Safety/Law Enforcement)

By Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Tina Lamb. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Sonar technology, it is often used during Search and Rescue missions to make it easier and more efficient to locate
evidence or victims of boating accidents or potential drownings in unclear waters. SONAR is also regularly used in search
and rescue. Side-scanning systems help locate bodies and guide the divers to the site of the recovery. ROVs with imaging
sonars offer a safe alternative to verify and recover the victim instead of divers.
Marine Salvage Efforts

Sonar technology also has the ability to help locate underwater objects in deep salvage operations where murky waters
may hinder maximum camera visibility. Identifying a shipwreck or other large structure from up to 200m (656’) away isn’t a
stretch for some ROV mounted imaging sonars.
Offshore Wind Installation Support Surveys

It's also used for offshore wind turbines. Powerful SONAR systems are used for the assurance of safe installation of wind
turbines. These sites must be subject to survey with great accuracy to ensure the foundation of the turbine is secure in the
water.
Infrastructure Inspections

Large structures such as bridge pilings, dock piers, quay walls, and dams can be difficult to perform underwater
inspections on due to the sheer size relative to a set of eyes through a camera on a ROV or a diver. Sonar helps provide
a broad view of the structure, allowing the inspector to have a better understanding of the structure, to identify major
defects as well as measure changes over time by comparing to previous sonar surveys.
Ocean Science, Discovery and Academic Research

Finally, the addition of sonar technology is invaluable to underwater discovery and research by helping academics and
researchers to monitor aquatic life or environmental conditions below the surface.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES OF SONAR

Scanning SONAR systems are often defined by their fan-shaped sound beam with a narrow horizontal and wide vertical
beam for recognizing the cross-section in environmental acoustic.

While SONAR can be relatively straightforward to use, it is truly a complex science. The specifics of acoustics are
valuable to understand in order to fully grasp the concept of sonar.

Sound Speed
By putting together the sound speed in the water with the time in which the reflection was received, the SONAR system
calculates the distance that the sound traveled.

The question for calculating the acoustic distance is:

Distance = known sound speed in water x (calculated sound delay upon return / 2)

From this, we can understand that the difference in sound speed can drastically affect the accuracy of distance to a target.
Usually, the sound speed in bodies of saltwater is about 1500 m/s. However, this number varied based on the operating
depth of the system, water temperature, and salinity.

Sound speed calculators can help in getting better approximations in variable operating environments. Even though
scanning SONAR systems do not have the capacity to accurately calculate sound speed, the values change in the display
for the right environment.

Target Reflectivity

SONAR targets with concrete material densities like rocks, metals, gas are quite different from water, as they will have
powerful reflective echoes. Echoes from sand, mud, silt, and plants are not as powerful because their density is similar to
water or they absorb sound energy.

The echo strength displays on the device as a bright indicator with vivid color. In typical palettes, bright colors in
underwater sonar images represent strong echoes and dark colors represent weak echoes.

Sound Beam Patterns

When visualizing how scanning SONAR works in terms of sound, they are often referred to as a flashlight in a dark room.
Only the illuminated area by the light is subjection to vision for the user, the rest will remain dark.

When compared to light beams, acoustic beams from SONAR have a fixed height and width, which is the beam pattern.
It's this acoustic beam that "illuminates" the targeted water locale with sound energy instead of light energy.

Scanning SONAR systems usually have a narrow horizontal and wide vertical beam, which results in a narrow path for the
energy to transmit from the transducer. To portray the image of objects in the environment, the head of the transducer
inside the SONAR will rotate with a stepper motor and then move the head into an arc to generate slices of the object on
the display.

Returning to the example of the flashlight, if you take pictures of the area as the light sweeps across the room, you will
have slices of the room lit up. As the user, you will not see the entire room lit up, but putting together the slices will let you
see the total area lit up.

Object Visibility, Slant Range, Arrival Angle

Objects within the beam patterns of the SONAR system illuminate acoustically and their reflections will be echoed to the
SONAR for interpretation.

Any objects outside of the pattern, below, outside, or above do not occur on the display of the SONAR viewer. Scanning
SONAR systems are not able to determine the difference between objects that have the same slant range (vertical arrival
angle).

For example, if two objects are at the same vertical range in front of the SONAR above each other, the SONAR will show
the objects as a single object even though it's from a collection of their echoes.
Bottom Visibility

For individuals searching the bottom of the body of water and understanding that signal strength at larger distances
decreases, they can mount their SONAR systems at specific angles. This will allow greater clear images of the seabed to
be subject to portrayal on the display.

If the system angles down and has a low altitude at a steep, only a narrow total area will present itself on the display. With
increasing altitude, the SONAR system will illuminate a wider plain of the sea bottom.

When an operator searches for objects on the sea bottom, the optimal results from SONAR will come from optimizing the
altitude above the bottom with the system angled down.

This will provide the greatest imaging range for the bottom by the signal strength of the SONAR system.

10% Rule

Both mechanically and side-scanning SONAR systems can get about 70% of the seabed covered if the system has at
least a 10-degree angle and a 10% operating range altitude.

For instance, at a range of 10 meters, the SONAR system should have 10% of that as an altitude. That's 1 meter above
the sea bottom. At 20 meters, the altitude should be at least 2 meters.

This is known as the 10% rule. There are other "rules" in solar usage, but this is the most concrete of them all.

Acoustic Shadow, Distance, and Altitude

Once again returning to the analogy of a flashlight, it applies to when a SONAR locates an object to determine the shape,
orientation, and height. These objects will have an acoustic shadow illuminated much like it would if there was a visible
light being shined on them.

If the SONAR system has a steep down angle and a large altitude, the acoustic shadows will be short. Short shadows can
be hard to see, making it hard to assess the object. If the sonar altitude is close to the bottom and the down angle is
shallow, shadows cast by the objects will belong.

Acoustic shadows cast by far away objects are narrow due to sonar beam angular geometry. The width of the shadow will
increase as the SONAR system moves closer to the target. With a wider shadow, it can be hard to see other objects in the
shadow, because there is no acoustic energy directed at them.

When many objects are in the same area and covered by shadows, increasing the angle and altitude to produce short
shadows will help optimize object distinction.

ECHOES IN SONAR
As demonstrated in previous parts of this article, objects are often illuminated from an angel by the SONAR system. Thus,
only the surfaces and edges close to the system will be subject to display.

The object surface that is perpendicular to the system will result in the strongest echoes. Whereas, surfaces with less
optimal angles will make the acoustic waves reflect from the system, delivering bad results.

All of these acoustic principles apply to large environments. For example, when viewing boat hulls and dock fingers in the
water, the bright will return the features of objects in the line of sight. Areas hidden away from the echo returns will be
seen as areas with no return or as shadows.
ROV NAVIGATION
Even with the unique profile of acoustic interpretation, SONAR systems can be very valuable when mounted with an ROV.
Without a SONAR system, the pilot of the ROV will have to rely on the visual relay of the objects and features via a
camera. In low visibility environments, it might be hard to see with the range often being under a meter.

SONAR systems will drastically increase this range, allowing the pilot to detect objects from further away. Instead of going
over the seabed to find objects, the ROV can remain stationary and scan the entire environment. The pilot can then get an
understanding of the area with the man-made objects, natural surfaces, and areas to ignore.

Because ROVs have a low mass, unnecessary movement is common on both vertical and horizontal planes. For SONAR
systems, the image is developed as the transducer rotates on the center-point axis. If the ROV moves due to the
environment or pilot input before the image acquisition, the result might be smeared.

In these cases, it might be better to narrow the plane scan or sit the ROV at the bottom to induce a faster refresh rate for
the ROV to rotate on the axis. Also, when looking at a display angle to the object, one must know the relative
bearings where the object is subject to reading as a clockwise angle from 000 degrees R.

Polar Scan

A polar scan entails any scan that covers a 360-degree continuum. A polar scan is great for acquiring environmental
awareness around the ROV in conditions with low visibility. Cameras will usually have a 90-degree field of view, so they
are unable to look around without a gimbal.
Sector Scan

A sector scan refers to any scan that is less than a 360-degree continuum. The scans are useful for improving refresh rate
while imaging the environment or keeping track of an object. The disadvantage of this scan is the loss of visuals behind or
the sides.

OBJECT LOCATION WITH A MOUNTED SCANNING SONAR

Finding targets on the water column or the seabed is another way for the SONAR use, besides navigation. Learning how
to use the SONAR system for finding objects requires practice because small objects are much harder to find.

The key to do this with an ROV is to turn slowly and maneuver allowing for new images to be subject to generation
without smear. First, the ROV must be placed on the bottom or in a stable position.

Next, a polar scan is subject to initiation fully. After this, the relative bearing calculation to the object occurs. To continue,
the ROV is turned in alignment with the object at a zero bearing.

Further on, the sector scan is subject to use to narrow down the image to about 90 degrees for the sake of a faster refresh
rate. And finally, the contact remains with the target using SONAR as the ROV follows the target.

TUNNEL INSPECTIONS WITH AN IMAGING SONAR

2D Imaging sonars are an excellent option for many applications as discussed. Sending hundreds of beams into a 120
degree horizontal and 20 degree vertical band allows for a better image quality than a single beam, sector scanning type
sonar. This is the type of sonar utilized in the channel survey video at the top as well as this tunnel inspection video here.
UNDERWATER REMOTE-OPERATED ROBOTS FOR YOU
Now that you know what SONAR systems are and what they are used for, you are that much closer to deciding if you
would like to make use of SONAR for your own needs. In any case, there's no rush for this and it's even better if you do
some more research.

There are many types of SONAR systems, integrated with a variety of tools, software, robots, and vehicles. Because
SONAR can be subject to use in energy, infrastructure, defense, commercial diving, municipalities, maritime, defense,
ocean science, and underwater discovery, it's only better if you understand what you're getting yourself into.

If you're interested in learning more about SONAR or you would like to consult about the appropriate system for you, get
in touch with us and we will happily accommodate your needs.

Deep Trekker offers remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) equipped with cameras that are widely used for tasks such as
underwater inspections, video recording, maintenance and repair operations.

By adding the optional TriTech Micron or the TriTech Gemini 720is Multibeam Imaging Sonar attachment, you get the
benefit of remote operated scanning that will significantly enhance your ROV’s ability to identify hidden objects that might
otherwise go undetected by a camera system. These attachments allow for both side and forward scanning capabilities.
TriTech International Limited is a leading global designer, manufacturer and integrator of reliable, high-precision
underwater imaging equipment that is widely regarded as the standard for the industry.