Bathymetric system performance prediction

Equipment selection for bathymetric and sub-bottom profiling applications requires a performance prediction for alternative system configurations. Performance prediction uses the standard sonar equation modified for bathymetric system configurations. The term of the prediction equation that has caused considerable discussion is the transmission loss. A discussion of two transmission loss models is presented. Parametric analyses of the equivalence of the two models are made for bottom slope, transducer beam pattern, and pulse length.