Modelling acoustic scattering by suspended flocculating sediments

Thorne, Peter D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4261-0937; MacDonald, Iain T.; Vincent, Christopher E.. 2014 Modelling acoustic scattering by suspended flocculating sediments. Continental Shelf Research, 88. 81-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.003

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© 2014 Elsevier B.V. This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Continental Shelf Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was/will be published in Continental Shelf Research (doi:10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.003)
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.003

Abstract/Summary

The development of a theoretical description of how sound interacts with flocculating sediments has been lacking and this deficiency has impeded sound being used to extract quantitative suspended sediment parameters in suspensions containing flocs. As a step towards theoretically examining this problem a relatively simple heuristic approach has been adopted to provide a description of the interaction of sound with suspensions that undergo flocculation. A model is presented for the interpretation of acoustic scattering from suspensions of fine sediments as they transition from primary particles, through an intermediate regime, to the case where low density flocs dominate the acoustic scattering. The approach is based on modified spherical elastic solid and elastic fluid scatterers and a combination of both. To evaluate the model the variation of density and compressional velocity within the flocs as they form and grow in size is required. The density can be estimated from previous studies; however, the velocity is unknown and is formulated here using a fluid mixture approach. Uncertainties in these parameters can have a significant effect on the predicted scattering characteristics and are therefore investigated in the present study. Furthermore, to assess the proposed model, outputs are compared with recently published laboratory observations of acoustic scattering by flocculating cohesive suspensions.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.003
ISSN:	02784343
Additional Keywords:	Acoustic scattering; Suspended cohesive sediments; Flocculation; Modelling; Sediment transport
Date made live:	28 Oct 2014 11:00 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508695

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.003

ISSN:

02784343

Additional Keywords:

Acoustic scattering; Suspended cohesive sediments; Flocculation; Modelling; Sediment transport

Date made live:

28 Oct 2014 11:00 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508695