Broadband Active Sonar: Implications and Constraints

The broadband sonar concept has an impact on all areas of an active sonar system. This includes the signal processing of transmit-receive signals, the response of the medium and the target response. Beginning with the definition of a broadband signal, the implications of broadband signal processing in terms of matched filtering, pulse compression, low probability of interception and beamforming are examined. This is followed by an investigation of the constraints imposed on the propagation of broadband signals by the medium. Finally, a brief discussion on the use of broadband techniques for target classification concludes the report.