Broad-band bottom forward loss and backscattering off San Diego

Broad-band forward loss and backscattering measurements were made at low to moderate grazing angles in shallow water off San Diego using pulses extending from 1 to 6 kHz in bandwidth. For forward bounce measurements, these large bandwidths achieved time resolutions as small as 0.25 ms, and revealed fine-scale subbottom layering with separations down to approximately 50 cm. The forward loss values show large fluctuations (>10 dB) over translation distances of 20-50 m in some cases or between two measurement runs separated by a few hundred meters in other cases. This observation, along with associated variations in the extent and number of subbottom arrivals, indicates a distinct patchiness in surficial sediment type. Previous measurements made in nearby locales also evidenced strong variations in bottom loss, but lacked the spatial resolution to discern interface reflections from subbottom contributions. Broad-band backscattering strength measured at 20-40° grazing was quite homogeneous over the entire region, probably because the critical angle is below 20°, as inferred from forward loss measurements. Theory suggests that scattering at angles above critical is from subbottom inhomogeneities rather than boundary roughness. The grazing angle and frequency dependence of these backscattering data are relatively weak