The Topology of Circular Synthetic Aperture Sonar Targets

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationship between the physical shape of objects and the topology of echoes in circular synthetic aperture sonar, providing a theoretical model validated through simulation and lab experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a simple theoretical model linking object acoustics to echo topology in CSAS, validated with simulations and experimental data.

Findings

Theoretical model accurately describes echo space topology.

Model validated with simulation results.

Experimental data supports the theoretical predictions.

Abstract

This report presents a connection between the physical acoustics of an object and the topology of the space of echoes resulting from a circular synthetic aperture sonar (CSAS) collection of that object. A simple theoretical model is developed that yields a precise, yet qualitative, description of the space of echoes. This theoretical model is validated in simulation and with experimental data from a laboratory sonar system.