Skip to main content
Log in

High-resolution Echo-sounding and Detection of Embedded Archaeological Objects with Nonlinear Sub-bottom Profilers

  • Published:
Marine Geophysical Researches Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sub-bottom profilers based on nonlinear acoustics offer many advantages especially for detecting and locating embedded objects in shallow waters. They have a narrow beam in spite of small transducers and virtually no side lobes. It is possible to realize mobile low-frequent sub-bottom profilers, which transmit very short sound pulses. Excellent vertical as well as horizontal resolutions at reasonable penetrations are proven benefits of using this technique. In this paper some technical aspects are discussed and a new experimental nonlinear scanning sub-bottom profiler system is described. Results from a field trial in archaeological prospection are shown to illustrate the successful application in practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M.J. Buckingham (1997) ArticleTitleTheory of acoustic attenuation, dispersion, and pulse propagation in unconsolidated granular materials including marine sediments J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 102 2579–2596

    Google Scholar 

  • J.M. Bull R. Quinn J.K. Dix (1998) ArticleTitleReflection coefficient calculation from marine high resolution seismic reflection (chirp) data and application to an archaeological case study Mar. Geophys. Res. 20 1–11 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1004373106696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Caiti O. Bergem J. Dybedal (1999) ArticleTitleParametric sonars for seafloor characterization Measure. Sci. Technol. 10 1105–1115

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Ding (2000) ArticleTitleA simplified algorithm for second-order sound fields J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108 2759–2764 Occurrence Handle10.1121/1.1320471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. Ding (2004) ArticleTitleA simplified algorithm for second-order sound beams with arbitrary source distribution and geometry (L) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 115 35–37

    Google Scholar 

  • M.F. Hamilton D.T. Blackstock (1997) Nonlinear Acoustics Academic Press Ltd New York

    Google Scholar 

  • A.C. Kibblewhite (1989) ArticleTitleAttenuation of sound in marine sediments: A review with emphasis on new low-frequency data J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 86 716–738 Occurrence Handle10.1121/1.398195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lurton, X., 1999, Underwater acoustics – An introduction. Springer.

  • H. Medwin C.S. Clay (1998) Fundamentals of Acoustical Oceanography Academic Press Ltd New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Novikov, B.K., Rudenko, O.V. and Timoshenko, V.I., 1987, Nonlinear Underwater Acoustics, American Institute of Physics.

  • Mindell, D.A. and Bingham, B., 2001, A high-frequency, narrow-beam sub bottom profiler for archaeological applications, OCEANS 2001 MTS/IEEE Conference Proceedings 4, pp. 2115–2123.

  • S. Müller J. Wunderlich (2003) ArticleTitleDetection of embedded objects using parametric sub-bottom profilers Int. Hydrogr. Rev. 4 IssueID3 76–82

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Piper (2003) ArticleTitleBuried target detection with a synthetic aperture sonar J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 113 2299–2300

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Quinn J.M. Bull J.K. Dix (1997) ArticleTitleImaging wooden artefacts using chirp sources Archaeol. Prospect. 4 25–35 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1099-0763(199703)4:1<25::AID-ARP66>3.0.CO;2-U

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, E.A and Treitel, S, 1980, Geophysical Signal Analysis. Prentice Hall.

  • D.D Sternlicht C.P Moustier Particlede (2003) ArticleTitleTime-dependent seafloor acoustic backscatter (10–100, kHz) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114 2709–2725

    Google Scholar 

  • Wunderlich, J. and Wendt, G., 2001, Advantages of parametric acoustics for the detection of the dredging level in areas with siltation. Proceedings of the 7th Workshop on Dredging and Surveying, pp. 67–75.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jens Wunderlich.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wunderlich, J., Wendt, G. & Müller, S. High-resolution Echo-sounding and Detection of Embedded Archaeological Objects with Nonlinear Sub-bottom Profilers. Mar Geophys Res 26, 123–133 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-005-3712-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-005-3712-y

Keywords

Navigation