In this paper simulation and experimental results are presented for two hybrid lidar-radar modulation techniques for underwater laser ranging. Both approaches use a combination of multi-frequency and single frequency modulation with the goal of simultaneously providing good range accuracy, unambiguous range, and backscatter suppression. The first approach uses a combination of dual and single frequency modulation. The performance is explored as a function of increasing average frequency while keeping the difference frequency of the dual tones constant. The second approach uses a combination of a stepped multi-tone modulation called frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) and single frequency modulation. The FDR technique is shown to allow simultaneous detection of the range of both the volumetric center of the backscattered “clutter” signal and the desired object. Experimental and simulated results are in good agreement for both techniques and performance out to ten attenuations lengths is reported.

Date Published: 23 May 2014
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 9111, Ocean Sensing and Monitoring VI, 91110R (23 May 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2048893

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9111:
Ocean Sensing and Monitoring VI
Weilin W. Hou; Robert A. Arnone, Editor(s)