Open AccessStudying how flocculation affects acoustic reflection
Author(s) -
Schultz Colin
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2013eo240019
Subject(s) - flocculation , backscatter (email) , estuary , reflection (computer programming) , sediment , range (aeronautics) , environmental science , organic matter , aggregate (composite) , sedimentation , materials science , mineralogy , geology , environmental engineering , oceanography , chemistry , composite material , geomorphology , computer science , telecommunications , organic chemistry , wireless , programming language
In inland estuaries and shallow coastal waters, small particles of organic matter, such as organic waste and debris or bacteria, clump together to form an aggregate known as floc. Flocculated particles can span a range of sizes, from a few micrometers to a few millimeters, and the properties and concentration of floc have a strong influence on water quality. To infer the properties of floc particles, researchers have proposed using acoustic backscatter measurements, a common technique for estimating sediment concentrations. To do so, however, requires an understanding of how the properties of floc particles affect acoustic wave reflection.