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Multibeam Sonar Theory of Operation

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Introduction to <strong>Multibeam</strong> <strong>Sonar</strong>:<br />

<strong>Multibeam</strong> <strong>Sonar</strong> <strong>Theory</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Operation</strong> Projector and Hydrophone Systems<br />

Figure Chapter 3 - -15: Beam Pattern for a Line Array <strong>of</strong> Hydrophones<br />

In short, the important points to remember about the beam patterns <strong>of</strong> both projector and<br />

hydrophone arrays are the following:<br />

• The larger an array is in a dimension, the narrower its main lobe will be in the plane<br />

perpendicular to that dimension.<br />

• The width <strong>of</strong> the main lobe is measured at the half power point.<br />

• Side lobes are undesirable, but unavoidable.<br />

• Side lobes can be reduced through techniques such as shading at the cost <strong>of</strong> widening the<br />

main lobe.<br />

• The beam pattern <strong>of</strong> a transducer array acting as projectors is the same as that <strong>of</strong> it acting as<br />

hydrophones.<br />

Beam Steering<br />

The previous section described how an array <strong>of</strong> hydrophones can be used to receive sound<br />

preferentially from specific perpendicular directions. This section describes how an array can be<br />

altered to receive preferentially from any <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> directions. This technique is called beam<br />

steering. Effectively, it allows the angle <strong>of</strong> the axis <strong>of</strong> the beam pattern, pictured in Figure<br />

Chapter 3 - -15, to be changed.<br />

Copyright © 2000 L-3 Communications SeaBeam Instruments Page 3-15<br />

No portion <strong>of</strong> this document may be reproduced without the expressed written permission <strong>of</strong> L-3 Communications SeaBeam Instruments

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