SONAR

Introduction
SONAR or Sound Navigation and Ranging is a technique that uses Sound
propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect object under or on the
surface of water. This is a technique of emitting pulses of sound and
observing the echoes.
SONAR is a technique that uses sound waves to map or locate objects in the
surrounding environment. The technique isn’t something extravagant that
humans have developed in recent years; it has been used by animals such as
bats and whales for millions of years.
The first man to use SONAR concept was Leonardo da Vinci , in 1490 . A tube
inserted in water was said to be used to detect vessels by placing an ear to
the tube.

Principle Of Working Of SONAR

An ultrasonic sound beam is generated and travels via the seawater that is
transmitted by the transducer. Whenever it reflects an echo is made which
the sensor detects and records. We are then converted into electric signals.

Types of sonar
The two types of technology falling under the name ‘SONAR’ involve

• Active SONAR
• Passive SONAR

ACTIVE Sonar
Active sonar uses a sound transmitter (or projector) and a receiver. When
the transmitter and receiver are at same place it is monostatic operation.
When the transmitter and receiver are separated it is bistatic operation.
When more transmitters and receivers are used it is multistatic operation.
Active sonar creates a pulse of sound, often called a "ping", and then listens
for echo of the pulse. This pulse of sound is generally created electronically
using a sonar projector.

PASSIVE SONAR
Passive Sonar listens to the sound created by an object. It only has a
receiver. It points out the noise coming from objects underwater. It detects
just the waves of sound that pass through the receiver and produces no
sound waves of its own. It’s useful for underwater research missions.

History of sonar
Although some animals (dolphins, bats , and shrews others) have used
sound for communication and object detection for millions of years, use by
humans in the water is initially recorded by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490: a
tube inserted into the water was said to be used to detect vessels by placing
an ear to the tube.
In the late 19th century an underwater bell was used as an ancillary
to lighthouses or lightships to provide warning of hazards.
The use of sound to "echo-locate" underwater in the same way as bats use
sound for aerial navigation seems to have been prompted by
the Titanic disaster of 1912. The world's first patent for an underwater
echo-ranging device was filed at the British Patent Office by English
meteorologist Lewis Fry Richardson a month after the sinking of Titanic and
a German physicist Alexandar Behm obtained a patent for an echo sounder
in 1913.

APPLICATIONS OF SONAR
Following are the various different applications of sonar technology:
SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS
Wave measurement - An upward looking echo sounder mounted on the
bottom or on a platform may be used to make measurements of wave
height and period.
Water velocity measurement - Special short range sonars have been
developed to allow measurements of water velocity.
Biomass estimation - Detection of fish, and other marine and aquatic life,
and estimation their individual sizes or total biomass using active sonar
techniques.
Bottom type assessment - Sonars have been developed that can be used
to characterise the sea bottom into, for example, mud, sand, and gravel.
Gas leak detection from the seabed - Gas bubbles can leak from the
seabed, or close to it, from multiple sources. These can be detected by both
passive and active sonar.
Civilian applications
Echo sounding - Echo sounding is a process used to determine the depth
of water beneath ships and boats.
ROV and UUV - Small sonars have been fitted to remotely operated
vehicles (ROVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to allow their
operation in murky conditions.
Vehicle location - Sonars which act as beacons are fitted to aircraft to
allow their location in the event of a crash in the sea.
Limitations of sonar
• There are numerous huge animals within the sea. The waves that the
SONAR is creating damage to this aquatic life. Those waves endanger
animals such as whales, dolphins, etc.,
• Based on the sound level produced by it creates a lot of sounds.