2019_programme: FROM BASIC RESEARCH TO A PROTOTYPE TOWBODY PLATFORM: PROGRESS ON UNDERWATER UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE REMEDIATION

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  • Session: 07. Underwater Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Detection and Remediation
    Organiser(s): Jans Wolfgang, Richardson Mike
  • Lecture: FROM BASIC RESEARCH TO A PROTOTYPE TOWBODY PLATFORM: PROGRESS ON UNDERWATER UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE REMEDIATION [invited]
    Paper ID: 856
    Author(s): Kargl Steven, Williams Kevin, Espana Aubrey, Marston Timothy, Plotnick Daniel
    Presenter: Kargl Steven
    Presentation type: oral
    Abstract: Over the last decade, APL-UW has had an active basic research program to understand the physical mechanisms associated with the scattering of sound from objects near a water-sediment interface. Synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) data were collected during three field measurements. A 42-m long rail was deployed to the bottom, that allowed a mobile sonar tower to traverse a 40-m cross-range. Inert ordnance, scientific targets, and clutters objects were placed in the field of view. These data were used to validate high-fidelity models, that provided insight into various physical mechanisms observed in the data. Subsequently, the measured data, augmented by numerically simulated data, have been utilized in the development of detection and classification schemes. Our current effort is transitioning the knowledge gained in our basic research to an applied platform. The Multi-Sensor Towbody (MuST) is a prototype platform that integrates high-frequency side-scan (HF) sonar, downward-looking, low-frequency (LF) sonar, and our in-house signal processing package for detection and classification. The HF sonar provides high-resolution imagery of the water-sediment interface and any proud objects. The LF sonar offers detection depths of 1 to 2 meters (i.e, sand versus mud). This paper discusses the research that has led to design decisions for MuST. [Work supported SERDP, ESTCP, and ONR.]
      Download the full paper
  • Corresponding author: Dr Kargl Steven
    Affiliation: Applied Physic Laboratory
    Country: United States
    e-mail:

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