EFFECTS OF OCEAN WAVES ON AIRBORNE LIDAR IMAGING

The effects of ocean waves on lidar imaging of submerged objects are i nvestigated. Two significant consequences of wave focusing or defocusi ng are quantified: (a) intensification of near-surface backscatter in which the mean return is increased relative to that for a flat interfa ce, and (b) spatial-temporal modulations of the backscattered return. For the former, mean returns can be as much as 50% larger than flat su rface returns at shallow depth. For the latter, the strong modulations induced by wave motion present a dominant clutter field that signific antly affects the imaging of shallow objects. Both effects are compens ated at greater depths by beam spreading caused by multiple scattering , which diminishes the intensity of the wave focusing. (C) 1996 Optica l Society of America