Overview of SAX99: environmental considerations

Author

Richardson, Michael D. ; Briggs, Kevin B. ; Bibee, L. Dale ; Jumars, Peter A. ; Sawyer, William B. ; Albert, Daniel B. ; Bennett, Richard H. ; Berger, Thomas K. ; Buckingham, Michael J. ; Chotiros, Nicholas P. ; Dahl, Peter H. ; Dewitt, Nancy T. ; Fleisch

Author_Institution

Naval Res. Lab., Stennis Space Center, MS, USA

Volume

26

Issue

1

fYear

2001

fDate

1/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

26

Lastpage

53

Abstract

A 1-km² area located 2 km off the Florida Panhandle (30°22.6´N; 86°38.7´W) was selected as the site to conduct high-frequency acoustic seafloor penetration, sediment propagation, and bottom scattering experiments. Side scan, multibeam, and normal incidence chirp acoustic surveys as well as subsequent video surveys, diver observations, and vibra coring, indicate a uniform distribution of surficial and subbottom seafloor characteristics within the area. The site, in 18-19 m of water, is characterized by 1-2-m-thick fine-to-medium clean sand and meets the logistic and scientific requirements specified for the acoustic experiments. This paper provides a preliminary summary of the meteorological, oceanographic, and seafloor conditions found during the experiments and describes the important physical and biological processes that control the spatial distribution and temporal changes in these characteristics

Keywords

acoustic tomography; aquaculture; oceanographic techniques; seafloor phenomena; sediments; sonar imaging; synthetic aperture sonar; ultrasonic imaging; ultrasonic scattering; underwater sound; 18 to 19 m; SAX99 experiment; acoustic scattering; acoustic tomography; biological processes; bottom scattering; diver observations; environmental considerations; fine-to-medium clean sand; geoacoustic properties; high-frequency acoustic seafloor penetration; marine animals; meteorological conditions; multibeam chirp acoustic survey; normal incidence chirp acoustic survey; oceanographic conditions; seafloor conditions; sediment acoustics experiment; sediment propagation; sidescan chirp acoustic survey; sonar survey; subbottom seafloor characteristics; temporal changes; uniform distribution; vibra coring; video surveys; Acoustic propagation; Acoustic scattering; Biological control systems; Biological processes; Chirp; Logistics; Meteorology; Process control; Sea floor; Sediments;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Oceanic Engineering, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0364-9059

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/48.917921

Filename

917921