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

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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.