Application of optimization technique to airborne laser bathymetry

The LARSEN 500 airborne laser ranging system is an active remote sensor for the measurement of sea depths in shallow coastal waters. A mathematical model that can be used to characterize the LARSEN waveforms received under diverse circumstances is established. This model is used with an optimization technique to facilitate the decomposition of each LARSEN waveform into surface and bottom reflections. The optimized parameters of the mathematical model are used to give sea depth estimates. The resolution of LARSEN waveforms into two separate components by means of these techniques offers two important advantages. First, sea depths can be readily determined from the time displacement between the two components without human intervention. Second, fairly accurate sea depths can be deduced even in cases where the two reflections strongly overlap