Underwater topography detection of Shuangzi Reefs with SAR images acquired in different time

Imaging mechanism of underwater topography by SAR and a underwater topography SAR detection model built on the theory of underwater topography detection with SAR image presented by Yuan Yeli are used to detect the underwater topography of Shuangzi Reefs in the Nansha Islands with three scenes of SAR images acquired in different time. Detection results of three SAR images are compared with the chart topography and the detection errors are analyzed. Underwater topography detection experiments of Shuangzi Reefs show that the detection model is practicable. The detection results indicate that SAR images acquired in different time also can be used to detect the underwater topography, and the detection results are affected by the ocean conditions in the SAR acquiring time.

A detection model of underwater topography with a series of SAR images acquired at different time

underwater topography is one of oceanic features detected by Synthetic Aperture Radar.Underwater topography SAR imaging mechanism shows that tidal current is the important factor for underwater topography SAR imaging.Thus under the same wind field condition,SAR images for the same area acquired at different time include different information of the underwater topography.To utilize synchronously SAR images acquired at different time for the underwater topography SAR detection and improve the precision of detection,based on the detection model of underwater topography with single SAR image and the periodicity of tidal current,a detection model of underwater topography with a series of SAR images acquired at different time is developed by combing with tide and tidal current numerical simulation.To testify the feasibility of the presented model,Taiwan Shoal located at the south outlet of Taiwan Strait is selected as study area and three SAR images are used in the underwater topography detection.The detection results are compared with the field observation data of water depth carried out by R/V Dongfanghong 2,and the errors of the detection are compared with those of the single SAR image.All comparisons show that the detection model presented in the paper improves the precision of underwater topography SAR detection,and the presented model is feasible.

Underwater topography detection of Taiwan Shoal with SAR images

Under suitable conditions of tidal current and wind, underwater topography can be detected by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) indirectly. Underwater topography SAR imaging includes three physical processes: radar ocean surface backscattering, the modulation of sea surface short wave spectrum by the variations in sea surface currents, and the modulation of sea surface currents by the underwater topography. The first process is described usually by Bragg scattering theory because the incident angle of SAR is always between 20°-70°. The second process is described by the action balance equation. The third process is described by an ocean hydrodynamic model. Based on the SAR imaging mechanism for underwater topography, an underwater topography SAR detection model and a simplified method for its calculation are introduced. In the detection model, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model – the shallow water model is used to describe the motion of tidal current. Due to the difficulty of determining the expression of SAR backscattering cross section in which some terms can not be determined, the backscattering cross section of SAR image used in the underwater topography SAR detection is pro-processed by the simulated SAR image of the coarse-grid water depth to simplify the calculation. Taiwan Shoal, located at the southwest outlet of Taiwan Strait, is selected as an evaluation area for this technique due to the occurrence of hundreds of sand waves. The underwater topography of Taiwan Shoal was detected by two scenes of ERS-2 SAR images which were acquired on 9 January 2000 and 6 June 2004. The detection results are compared with in situ measured water depths for three profiles. The average absolute and relative errors of the best detection result are 2.23 m and 7.5 %, respectively. These show that the detection model and the simplified method introduced in the paper is feasible.

Mathematical Modeling and Computational Analysis of Underwater Topography with Global Positioning and Echo Sounder Data

This study focuses on change of topography in a water area. Output data from a GPS unit and an echo sounder data were incorporated into analysis for construction of underwater topography. Comparison of two data sets lead to conclusion concerning sedimentation during period from January 2020 to January 2021.

Ultrasound Imaging Signal Analysis of Underwater Topography in River Model Experiment

In this paper, we analyze the feature of ultrasonic image and investigate the effect of topography material, flow velocity and sediment concentration on the imaging of underwater topography by imaging experiments of model sands. These imaging experiments are conducted in river engineering physical model.The results show that the vertical distribution of pixel values is changed hugely at the position of imaging bright band of underwater topography. The imaging of underwater topography is not affected when flow velocity is below 40 cm/s and sediment concentration is below 5.0 ‰. The main influence factors of imaging signals are flow velocity and sediment concentration near the topographical bed. The resolution of ultrasound imaging signals is high, and the topography consisted of model sands with particle size smaller than 0.1 mm can be monitored well in the river model experiment.

An inverse method for underwater bottom topographyby using SAR imagery

Interaction between current and underwater bottom topography leads to roughness of the sea surface, which in turn yields variation of the radar scattering echo. By using the continuity equation and weak hydrodynamic interaction theory in the relaxation time approximation, the spatial variation of the radar scattering cross-section has been proved as proportional to the gradient of current velocity. The current direction is first determined by using two-dimensional (2-D) correlation of spatial variation of backscattering measured by the SAR imagery, as the priori knowledge of the current direction is not available. The inverse algorithm to successively derive 2 - D underwater bottom topography from the SAR imagery is developed. As an application, the SAR SIR- C image over the sea area of Hong Kong, China is studied.