IMAGING OCEAN-BASIN REVERBERATION VIA INVERSION

A technique for imaging large areas of the ocean floor by inverting re verberation data is presented. Acoustic returns measured on a horizont ally towed line array have right-left ambiguity about the array's axis and decreasing cross-range resolution for off-broadside beams and mor e distant scattering sites. By optimal use of data taken with differin g array locations and orientations, right-left ambiguity is eliminated and resolution is maximized. This is accomplished via a global invers ion using the array's known resolving properties. The output of the in version can be optimally resolved reverberation, scattering coefficien t, or physical properties of the seafloor, depending upon the formulat ion. Simulations are presented to show the general superiority of this approach to data averaging.