Sea surface scattering: Echo peak PDF

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Abstract
The statistical nature was examined of the backscattered acoustic echo from the sea surface. In particular, the probability density function (PDF) of the maximum value of the echo achieved in a time gate is studied. Data were compared from a 70-kHz sonar at near grazing angles to a recently developed statistical model that was employed in the context of (biological) volume backscatttering [T. K. Stanton (1985)]. The model fits the data quite well which implies that, like with volume scatterers in the ocean, the backscattered signal from the sea surface is effectively composed of many scatterers that each produce random phase, random amplitude echoes. The results can be applied to sidescan sonars where cluttter from the sea surface may interfere with the detection of near surface biological organisms. From the theoretical model a probability of false alarm may be derived to aid in the detection.

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