Calibration technique for acoustic scattering measurements

Abstract

Tungsten carbide spheres are used as calibration targets in laboratory acoustic scattering measurements. Though the steady-state response of any metal sphere in water greatly differs from a rigid body return, over almost the entire frequency spectrum, the rigid body and elastic returns can be separated in a short pulse, broadband experiment. This rigid body echo can then be used as a reference to normalize the scattering returns from targets of interest.