Some aspects of the potential capabilities of using ultra wideband signals in the target classification

At present it becomes increasingly clear that the most promising area of sonars evolving in order to improve their characteristics is to use different types of ultra-wideband complex signals (UWBS). A broad band will allow to reach significantly higher resolution, not only in distance, but in space, that will promote the better allocation of targets from background noise.

Also, it is expected that ultra-wideband signals will provide spectral target «portrait», that will greatly facilitate the solution of the problems of target classification. This effect is also related to the fact that ultra-wideband signals carry information not only about the subject in general, but of its individual elements.

From the beginning of 2010 JSC «NIIP» with the participation of collaborators of State Company «IRE by V.A. Kotelnikov RAS» conducts development and introducing of broadband technologies in sonars, including algorithms of their generation and processing, as well as conducting of field experiments.

Presented in this paper experimental results allow us to conclude that the influence of the medium on the shape and range of the signal is not significant and, as a consequence, parameters of UWBS are stable in the medium. This indicates the possibility of using of ultra-wideband signals in sonar in different areas.

The presented results of spectral processing of echo signals, received from different (by material and geometric parameters) objects show a high potential of using UWBS for detecting and classifying of targets.