Objective Acoustic remote sensing research on marine sediments is carried out with very low frequency seismic sensors in order to determine the main characteristics of these sediments over very large ranges of penetration depths, and with high frequency sonars to image the sea bed and detect objects lying there. But there is still no technique for exploring the first few metres of depth in sediments, yet there are a number of underwater exploration applications where this range is important: - study of the sediment processes and dynamics, and their geotechnical properties - safety of pipelines burial - archaeological research - retrieval of lost cargo or toxic waste The proposed exploration method should be able to yield a precise description of sediments down to about 20 metres, and to detect and classify embedded rocks and man-made objects within this depth range. It should lead to the definition of a quasi-monostatic system. The principle of this method is to combine several modern techniques: - the use of parametric arrays to obtain simultaneously low frequency, large bandwidth, and fine spatial resolution, - application of theories of scattering by objects and by the bottom to predict the features of echoes and reverberation, - signal processing and near-field linear array processing to increase the echo-to-noise and echo-to-reverberation ratio, - the detection and classification of buried objects. The consortium comprises partners that have considerable experience in these activities. LUT has many years of expertise in designing and operating parametric arrays. TNO-FEL has expertise in tank and sea experiments, and in array signal processing. DIBE has concentrated on various new signal processing methods. AESN, TS.ASM and SACLANT, are well-known for their experience in every aspect of sonar. The main area of the MAST III programme covered by this proposal is C.1. But it also has an impact on areas A.1 A.3 B.1 B.2. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsignal processingengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringremote sensingengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors Programme(s) FP4-MAST 3 - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of marine science and technology, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 030103 - Underwater viewing Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Thomson Marconi Sonar SAS Address 1,avenue astride briand 94117 Arceuil France See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Alenia Elsag Sistemi Navali SpA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via hermada 6b 16154 Genova See on map LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Ashby road LE11 3TU Loughborough See on map NETHERLANDS ORGANISATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - TNO Netherlands EU contribution € 0,00 Address 63,oude waalsdorperweg 63 2509 JG Den haag ('s-gravenhage) See on map Saclant Undersea Research Center Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Viale san bartolomeo 400 19138 La spezia See on map Università degli Studi di Genova Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address 11 a,via opera pia 11/a 16145 Genova See on map
