Research Article [Mishra, 1(2)): April.

, 2012]
ISSN: 2277-9655
2277

IJESRT
INTERNATIONAL JOURNA
JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES
ENCES & RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
Sonar Communication
Prachi Mishra
Department of Electronics & Communication, Shri Sant Gadge Baba College of Engg and
Technology, India
prachimishra817@gmail.com
Abstract
This Paper presents overall views on SONAR Communication Technology. In this paper we will Highlight on some
of the Points, like its Applications , Advantages / uses , Types etc. and we’ll see the Working of SONAR. But before
that we would like to introduce about SONAR technology in brief.
The term sonar is also used for the equipment used to generate and receive the sound
sound. Sonar (originally an acronym
for Sound Navigation And Ranging) anging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in
Submarine navigation) to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels. Two types of SONAR mainly Active
and Passive , are described in our Paper. Both of these are used as a means of acoustic location and of measurement
of the echo characteristics of "targets" in the water.
In its Application we’ll see , how it works for Mapping the Seafloor , Determining Water Depth , Locating Locati
Fishes…etc. Next , we’ll see the Future of this Technology. I have tried to Give a Simple and Clear Idea about
SONAR Communication technology in this Paper.

Introduction
SONAR is a type of sound wave propagation
technology that is used worldwide and has many
applications. The Word SONAR Stands For Sound
navigation And Ranging. There are two different
types of sonar: Active and Passive.
Active sonar is the process of emitting pulses of
sound ("pings") and measuring the time it takes for
them to bounce off of objects and return in order to
calculate object distances. It may be launched by a
submarine under attack to raise the noise level, In the 19th century an underwater bell was used as an
provide a large false target, and obscure the signature ancillary to lighthouses to provide warning of
of the submarine itself. Passive sonar is listening for hazards. The use of sound to 'echo locate' underwater
sounds generated by various objects. The frequencies in the same way as bats use sound for aerial
used in sonar vary from very low to extremely high. navigation seems to have been prompted by the
Passive (i.e.,non-powered)
powered) counter measures include: Titanic disaster of 1912. The world's first patent for
1. Mounting noise-generating devices ces on isolating an underwater
ater echo ranging device was filed at the
devices. British Patent Office by English meteorologist Lewis
2. Sound-absorbent
absorbent coatings on the hulls of Richardson a month after the sinking of the Titanic,
submarines, for example anechoic tiles.. and a German physicist Alexander Behm obtained a
patent for an echo sounder in 1913

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Research Article [Mishra, 1(2)): April., 2012]
ISSN: 2277-9655
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The Canadian Engineer Reginald

eginald Fessenden, while (1) a hydrophone
working for the Submarine Signal Company in (2) an electronic receiver
Boston, built an experimental system beginning in (3) a bearing indicator
1912, a system later tested in Boston Harbor, and (4) a speaker or headphones.
finally in 1914 from the U.S. Revenue (now Coast The two different types of sonar are :
Guard) Cutter Miami on the Grand Banks off
Newfoundland Canada. Active Sonar
During World War I the need to detect submarines Active sonar gives the exact bearing to a target, and
prompted more research into the use of sound. The sometimes the range. Active sonar works the same
British made early use of underwater hydrophones, way as RADAR. A signal is emitted. The sound
while the French physicist, working with a Russian wave then travels in many directions from the
immigrant electrical engineer,, worked on the emitting object. When it hits an object, the sound
development of active sound devices for detecting wave is then reflected in many other directions. Some
submarines in 1915 using quartz. Although of the energy will travel back to the emitting source.
piezoelectric and magneto stricture transducers later The echo will enable the sonar system or technician
superseded the electrostatic transducers they used, to calculate, with many factors such as the frequency,
frequency
this work influenced future designs. Light
Lightweight the energy of the received signal, the depth, the water
sound-sensitive
sensitive plastic film and fibre optics have temperature, the position of the reflecting object, etc
been used for hydrophones.. Active sonar is similar to radar in that, while it allows
During the 1930s American engineers developed detection of targets at a certain range, it also enables
their own underwater sound detection technology and the emitter to be detected at a far greater range, which
important discoveries were made, such as thermo is undesirable.
clines, that would help future development. After Active sonar creates a pulse of sound, often called a
technical information was exchanged between the "ping", and then listens for reflections (echo) of the
two countries during the Second World War, pulse. This pulse of sound is generally created
Americans began to use the term SONAR for their electronically using a sonar Projector consisting of a
systems signal generator, power amplifier and electro- electro
acoustic transducer /array. A beam former is usually
Working Of Sonar System employed to concentrate the acoustic power into a
Sound wave sent outward: Animals noises made beam, which may be swept to cover the required
with their bodies, seismic –explosions
explosions or impact search angles .Occasionally, the acoustic pulse may
plates, ultrasound – transducer converts sound to be created
ated by other means, e.g. (1) chemically using
electricity and back, ships “ping” or emit a burst of explosives, or (2) Air guns or (3) plasma sound
acoustic energy. sources.
Sound waves returned: Animals – waves sensed One useful small sonar is similar in appearance to a
through ears (bats) or teeth and bones (whales), waterproof flashlight. The head is pointed into the
seismic – waves sensed through geo-phones,
phones, ships – water, a button is pressed, and the device displays
dis the
waves sensed by hydrophones or (next) distance to the target. When active sonar is used to
measure the distance from the transducer to the
bottom, it is known as echo sounding. Similar
methods may be used looking upward for wave
measurement.
Active sonar is also used to measure distance
dista through
water between two sonar transducers or a
combination of a hydrophone (underwater acoustic
microphone) and projector (underwater acoustic
speaker). A transducer is a device that can transmit

Any listening system that consist of

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Research Article [Mishra, 1(2): April., 2012]
ISSN: 2277-9655

and receive acoustic signals ("pings"). When a directions of about 270°, centered on the ship's
hydrophone /transducer receives a specific alignment, the hull-mounted array of about 160° on
interrogation signal it responds by transmitting a each side, and the towed array of a full 360°. The
specific reply signal. To measure distance, one invisible areas are due to the ship's own interference.
transducer /projector transmits an interrogation signal Once a signal is detected in a certain direction (which
and measures the time between this transmission and means that something makes sound in that direction,
the receipt of the other transducer/ hydrophone reply. this is called broadband detection) it is possible to
The time difference, scaled by the speed of sound zoom in and analyze the signal received (narrowband
through water and divided by two, is the distance analysis).
between the two platforms. This technique, when Another use of passive sonar is to determine the
used with multiple transducers/ hydrophones/ target's trajectory. This process is called Target
projectors, can calculate the relative positions of Motion Analysis (TMA), and the resultant "solution"
static and moving objects in water. is the target's range, course, and speed. TMA is done
by marking from which direction the sound comes at
Passive Sonar different times, and comparing the motion with that
Passive sonar listens without transmitting. It is often of the operator's own ship. Changes in relative
employed in military settings, although it is also used motion are analyzed using standard geometrical
in science applications, e.g., detecting fish for techniques along with some assumptions about
presence/absence studies in various aquatic limiting cases.
environments. In the very broadest usage, this term Passive sonar is stealthy and very useful. However, it
can encompass virtually any analytical technique requires high-tech electronic components and is
involving remotely generated sound, though it is costly. It is generally deployed on expensive ships in
usually restricted to techniques applied in an aquatic the form of arrays to enhance detection. Surface ships
environment. use it to good effect; it is even better used by
Although, Passive sonar on vehicles is usually submarines, and it is also used by airplanes and
severely limited because of noise generated by the helicopters, mostly to a "surprise effect", since
vehicle. For this reason, many submarines operate submarines can hide under thermal layers. If a
nuclear reactors that can be cooled without pumps, submarine's commander believes he is alone, he may
using silent convection, or fuel cells or batteries, bring his boat closer to the surface and be easier to
which can also run silently. Vehicles' propellers are detect, or go deeper and faster, and thus make more
also designed and precisely machined to emit sound.
minimal noise. High-speed propellers often create
tiny bubbles in the water, and this cavitations has a Welfare
distinct sound. Modern naval warfare makes extensive use of both
Unlike active sonar, only one way propagation is passive and active sonar from water-borne vessels,
involved. Because of the different signal processing aircraft and fixed installations. The relative
used, the minimum detectable signal to noise ratio usefulness of active versus passive sonar depends on
will be different. the radiated noise characteristics of the target,
Passive sonar has several advantages. Most generally a submarine. Although in World War II
importantly, it is silent. If the target radiated noise active sonar was used by surface craft—submarines
level is high enough, it can have a greater range than avoided emitting pings which revealed their presence
active sonar, and allows the target to be identified. and position—with the advent of modern signal-
Since any motorized object makes some noise, it may processing passive sonar became preferred for initial
in principle be detected, depending on the level of detection. Submarines were then designed for quieter
noise emitted and the ambient noise level in the area, operation, and active sonar is now more used.
as well as the technology used. To simplify, passive
sonar "sees" around the ship using it. On a Applications
submarine, nose-mounted passive sonar detects in
1. Mapping the Seafloor

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Research Article [Mishra, 1(2)): April., 2012]
ISSN: 2277-9655
2277

Maps of the sea-floor

floor geology identify the locations 3. Locating Fish
where fine-grained
grained sediment and associated Fisheries is an important industry that rely heavily on
contaminants accumulate. Remote
Remote-sensing sonar for locating fish considering sound travels
techniques such as side-scan scan sonar and high high- faster and longer underwater. Passive sonar is used
resolution seismic reflection profiling allow detailed for locating fish and it listens without transmitting
mapping of the texturee and distribution of sediment sound. Sound waves travel differently through
throug fish
types on the sea floor on a regional basis. Side
Side-scan than water because a fish's air--filled swim bladder
sonar is a method used to map the seafloor. contains a different density than seawater. Biomass
The strength or intensity of the returning acoustic estimation uses sonar to detect fish and as the sound
signal is recorded and this is important because it pulse travels through water it
provides a hint as to what kind of sediment makes up encounters objects that are of different density than
the seafloor. A strong signal means the substrate is the surrounding
urrounding medium, such as fish, that reflect
relatively hard or contains a lot of texture. Hard sound back toward the sound source. These echoes
surfaces appear dark on the side-scan scan map and provide information on fish size, location, and
indicate a wreck, a shell, coral, or even shrimp abundance.
mounds. Fishermen also use active sonar and echo sounder
pears light on a sides can map and
A weaker echo appears technology to determine water depth, bottom contour,
and bottom composition
4. Submarine navigation
Submarines rely on sonar to a greater extent than
surface ships as they cannot use radar at depth. The
sonar arrays may be hull mounted or towed.
Information fitted on typical fits is given in Oyashio
indicates a soft or finer surface such as silt and sand. class submarine
rine and Swift sure class submarine.

2. Determining Water Depth

Oceanographers also make use of sonar technology in
their line of work quite often. They can use this
technology to map out the ocean floor. oor. An echo
echo-
sender sends an acoustic pulse directly the seabed
and the time it takes for the pulse to reach the bottom
and come back to the vessel determines the depth.
The sound pulse is generated by a transducer that
emits an acoustic pulse and then “li “listens” for the
return signal to determine the depth. Then return
signal is recorded and converted to a depth 5. Ocean surveillance
measurement by calculating the speed of sound in For many years, the United States operated a large set
water. of passive sonar arrays at various points in the
world's oceans, collectively called Sound
Surveillance System (SOSUS) and later Integrated
Integrate
Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS). A similar
system is believed to have been operated by the
Soviet Union. As permanently mounted arrays in the
deep ocean were utilised, they were in very quiet
conditions so long ranges could be achieved. Signal
processing
sing was carried out using powerful computers
ashore. With the ending of the Cold War a SOSUS
array has been turned over to scientific use.

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In the United States Navy, a special badge

known as the Integrated Undersea Surveillance
System Badge is awarded to those who have been
trained and qualified in its operation.

6. Aircraft
Helicopters can be used for antisubmarine warfare by for use by a diver. Integrated Navigation Sonar
deploying fields of active/passive son buoys or can System (INSS) is a small flashlight-shaped handheld
operate dipping sonar, such as the AQS-13. Fixed sonar for divers that displays range.
wing aircraft can also deploy son buoys and have
greater endurance and capacity to deploy them.
Intercept Sonar
Processing from the son buoys or dipping sonar can
This is a sonar designed to detect and locate the
be on the aircraft or on ship. Helicopters have also
transmissions from hostile active sonar’s. An
been used for mine countermeasure missions using
example of this is the Type 2082 fitted on the British
towed sonar such as the AQS-20A
Vanguard class submarines.
Fig. AN/AQS-13 Dipping sonar deployed from an H-
Each sensor is equipped with one or more acoustic
3 Sea King.
transducers depending on its specific function. Data
is transmitted from the sensors using wireless
Underwater Communications And Security
acoustic telemetry and is received by a hull mounted
Dedicated sonars can be fitted to ships and
hydrophone. The analog signals are decoded and
submarines for underwater communication. See also
converted by a digital acoustic receiver into data
the section on the underwater acoustics page
which is transmitted to a bridge computer for
Underwater security: Sonar can be used to detect
graphical display on a high resolution monitor.
frogmen and other scuba divers. This can be
applicable around ships or at entrances to ports.
Active sonar can also be used as a deterrent and/or Disadvantages
disablement mechanism. One such device is the All the Great Inventions have Some Disadvantages .
Cerberus system. Even This Technology Carries Some of it, Although
its very Few, but we can’t neglect it.It has been
discovered that high powered sonar may harm
animals,(research still needs to be completed).
Marine animals such as whales and dolphins use
echolocation to find predators and prey. Echolocation
acts like sonar and it may actually confuse or harm
the animals if sonar is used. The fear by many
biologists is that the sonar will confuse the animals
and prevent them from eating or mating.But, now
there are laws to protect these animals through the
National Environmental Policy Act, the Marine
Mammal Protection Act, and the Endangered Species
Act

Hand-Held Sonar Drawback

Limpet Mine Imaging Sonar (LIMIS) is a hand-held However, there is one drawback to the invention of
or ROV-mounted imaging sonar designed for patrol the acoustic mine that disturbs its effectiveness. Its
divers (combat frogmen or clearance divers) to look ability to accumulate dirt and other sea organisms is
for limpet mines in low visibility water. The LUIS is quite intense meaning that at anytime it may fail to
another imaging sonar work or detonate on accident

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Research Article [Mishra, 1(2): April., 2012]
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protect against enemy submarines, therefore it must

be used, despite any negative effects. Because of
these two viewpoints, and the credibility of both, a
compromise must be reached until the technology can
be improved upon or replaced. The Navy is always
looking for ways to cut down on environmental
impact of sonar. The future of this technology will
depend on our ability to minimize effects which are
detrimental to the environment.

Scientific Applications

BIOMASS ESTIMATION Detection of fish, and

Future Of Sonar Technology other marine and aquatic life, and estimation their
individual sizes or total biomass using active sonar
a. Technology and Applications techniques. As the sound pulse travels through water
Currently, researchers are looking for new and better it encounters objects that are of different density or
ways to improve sonar technology. Sonar has acoustic characteristics than the surrounding medium,
important applications in the sciences as well as the such as fish, that reflect sound back toward the sound
military. We can learn more about the earth by using source. These echoes provide information on fish
sonar to map out the ocean floor while perhaps size, location, abundance and behavior. Data is
discovering new species lurking in the depths in the usually processed and analyzed using a variety of
process. Ensuring the United States of protection software such as Echo view
from threats of foreign enemy submarines is a top
priority. Advancements in SONAR technology will WAVE MEASUREMENT
further minimize the risk of attack on US ships. An upward looking echo sounder mounted on the
An important implication of sonar technology is its bottom or on a platform may be used to make
effect on marine life. Whales and other creatures use measurements of wave height and period. From this
sound to navigate the waters, find food, and other statistics of the surface conditions at a location can be
such things. Sonar can interfere with these processes derived.
by confusing the animals or even damaging their
hearing. WATER VELOCITY MEASUREMENT

b. General Public view vs. Scientific Community Special short range sonar’s have been developed to
View allow measurements of water velocity.
Important to keep in mind while thinking of new
ways to further develop any technology are the BOTTOM TYPE ASSESMENT
concerns of the public. One important public concern Sonar’s have been developed that can be used to
over sonar technology is the effect on marine life. characterize the sea bottom into, for example, mud,
Sonar can disrupt natural processes and in turn sand, and gravel. Relatively simple sonar’s such as
increase the probability of harming the planet. While echo sounders can be promoted to seafloor
the safety of animals is important to maintaining the classification systems via add-on modules,
ecosystem, the U.S. government must ensure the converting echo parameters into sediment type.
safety of the country. In fact, the US Navy is required Different algorithms exist, but they are all based on
by U.S. Law to be prepared to defend the United changes in the energy or shape of the reflected
States from an attack by sea. sounder pings. Advanced substrate classification
The view of the scientific (and military) community analysis can be achieved using calibrated (scientific)
is that sonar is the only technology available to

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echo sounders and parametric or fuzzy-logic analysis seminal 1963 JASA paper summarizes the trends
of the acoustic data. involved.
Types Of Imaging Sonar
BOTTOM TOPOGRAPHY MEASUREMENT 1. Side Scan SONAR System.
Side-scan sonar’s can be used to derive maps of the The sound frequencies used in side-scan sonar
topography of an area by moving the sonar across it usually range from 100 to 500 kHz; higher
just above the bottom. Low frequency sonars such as frequencies yield better resolution but less range.
GLORIA have been used for continental shelf wide 2. Single Beam SONAR System.
surveys while high frequency sonar’s are used for Single beam sonar data are collected along transect
more detailed surveys of smaller areas. lines and typically cannot provide continuous
coverage of the seafloor. The output resolution of the
SUB BOTTOM PROFILING data are determined by the footprint size, sampling
Powerful low frequency echo-sounders have been interval, sampling speed, and distance between
developed for providing profiles of the upper layers transects.
of the ocean bottom. 3. Multi Beam SONAR System.
SYNTHETIC APERTURE SONAR Instead of just one transducer pointing down,
Various synthetic aperture sonar have been built in “multibeam bathymetry systems” have arrays of 12
the laboratory and some have entered use in mine- kHz transducers, sometimes up to 120 of them,
hunting and search systems. An explanation of their arranged in a precise geometric pattern on ships’
operation is given in synthetic aperture sonar. hulls.

PARAMETRIC SONAR References

Parametric sources use the non-linearity of water to
generate the difference frequency between two high 1. http://wikipedia.org
frequencies. A virtual end-fire array is formed. Such 2. http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventio
a projector has advantages of broad bandwidth, ns/a/sonar_history
narrow beam width, and when fully developed and 3. http://www.findtoyou.com/sonar+technolog
carefully measured it has no obvious side lobes: see y
Parametric array. Its major disadvantage is very low 4. http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~mperkows/CLASS
efficiency of only a few percent. P.J. Westerville’s _573/573_2007/sonarpc.pdf
5. http://wikis.lib.org

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