Improved characterisation of bed sediment in shallow water environments using wide swatch, interferometric bathymetric sonar

声纳系统通常用于水深测量，并通过分析返回的声学信号来推断海底的特征，如沉积物粒度和密度。然而，标准的信号处理方法不适用于浅水环境，如低地河流，那里的沉积物性质在短距离内变化很大。在这个博士项目中，学生将与一家宽采样水深声纳制造商合作，开发新的传感器配置，新的传输声纳信号，以及应用于浅水环境的创新信号处理。主要成果将是一种声学方法来表征沉积物特性的垂直和水平变化，这在勘探、导航和洪水风险评估方面具有重要的潜在应用。

Sonar systems are routinely used for bathymetric surveying and, through analysis of the returning acoustic signal, to infer characteristics of the ocean floor, such as sediment grain size and density. However, standard signal processing methods are unsuitable for shallow water environments, like lowland rivers, where sediment properties vary significantly over short distances. In this PhD project, the student will work with a manufacturer of wide swatch bathymetric sonar to develop new sensor configurations, novel transmitted sonar signals, and innovative signal processing for application to shallow water environments. The main outcome will be an acoustic method to characterise vertical and horizontal variations in sediment properties, which has significant potential applications for exploration, navigation, and flood risk assessment.