Reverberation at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge during the 1993 ARSRP experiment seen by R/V Alliance from 200-1400 Hz and...

In July 1993 SACLANTCEN participated in an experiment for the Acoustic Reverberation Special Research Program (ARSRP). The primary objective was to take high resolution measurements to shed light on the detailed physical processes dominating the low frequency scattering from rough topographic features and from deep sediment pond areas. A very detailed set of monostatic and bistatic scattering experiments were conducted just west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 26 degrees N, 47 degrees W. Results from SACLANTCEN's R/V ALLIANCE are presented which show monostatic and bistatic scattering from selected bathymetric features using pulsed sources from 200-1400 Hz and SUS charges. Area water depths ranged from 3300 to greater than 5200 m. The receivers were a horizontal array of 128 elements spaced at 0.5, 1, and 2 m. Source depths varied from 120 to 1200 m and receiver depths ranged from 400 to 500 m. Received reverberation levels are presented as functions of the estimated scatterer position on area bathymetry maps. Results show the same high scattering areas from one seamount were observed in three distinct frequency bands centered at 227, 350, and 700 Hz. Even at 1350 Hz the correlation of scattering highlights with nearby bathymetric features is quite good. Comparisons of measured reverberation and modeled reverberation are presented which suggest that the dominant longer range scattering from the large features is driven by the steep slopes present above the critical depth but that small scale roughness is also essential for strong backscatter.