# A Fast Prediction Method for Wide-Angle Bistatic Scattering and Reflection Coefficients of Acoustically Coated Plates

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a fast method to predict how sound reflects off plates with acoustic coatings, improving sonar target detection in underwater environments.

## Contribution

A novel fast prediction method for wide-angle bistatic scattering and reflection coefficients of acoustically coated plates is proposed.

## Key findings

- The proposed method accurately reproduces bistatic reflection coefficients across a wide frequency range.
- The method significantly reduces computational time compared to traditional finite-element simulations.
- It captures non-linear dispersion effects and interference fringes in scattering predictions.

## Abstract

Multistatic sonar provides enhanced target detection in complex underwater environments. The wide-angle bistatic scattering characteristics of targets, particularly the bistatic reflection coefficients, are important for evaluating system performance and designing acoustic absorbing coatings. However, obtaining full-angle experimental measurements is challenging, and conventional finite-element simulations become computationally prohibitive for large structures, high frequencies, or exhaustive angle sweeps. To overcome these challenges, a fast wide-angle scattering prediction method for acoustically coated plates is proposed. The method constructs a scattering transfer matrix from the surface mesh and retrieves the equivalent source density from a small subset of scattered-pressure samples, enabling reconstruction of the full-angle scattering field and rapid extraction of reflection coefficients. The approach is demonstrated on both rigid and coated plates, with predictions compared against finite-element calculations. The results demonstrate that the proposed method accurately reproduces the bistatic reflection coefficients, including non-linear dispersion effects and interference fringes, across a wide frequency band from 100 Hz to 5 kHz. Compared to traditional FEM sweeps, this method significantly reduces computational time while maintaining high accuracy, providing an efficient tool for the design of acoustic stealth materials and laying a foundation for rapid target strength prediction of complex targets using the Planar Element Method.