scholarly journals Broadband measurements of the acoustic backscatter cross section of sand particles in suspension

1993 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 2247-2254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng He ◽  
Alex E. Hay
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Acoustic Backscatter ◽  
Sand Particles ◽  
Backscatter Cross Section

scholarly journals Radar efficiency and the calculation of decade-long PMSE backscatter cross-section for the Resolute Bay VHF radar

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1643-1656 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Swarnalingam ◽  
W. K. Hocking ◽  
P. S. Argall
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Great Level ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Radar Echoes ◽  
Summer Echoes ◽  
Resolute Bay ◽  
Absolute Measurements ◽  
Coherent Radar ◽  
Backscatter Cross Section

Abstract. The Resolute Bay VHF radar, located in Nunavut, Canada (75.0° N, 95.0° W) and operating at 51.5 MHz, has been used to investigate Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) since 1997. PMSE are a unique form of strong coherent radar echoes, and their understanding has been a challenge to the scientific community since their discovery more than three decades ago. While other high latitude radars have recorded strong levels of PMSE activities, the Resolute Bay radar has observed relatively lower levels of PMSE strengths. In order to derive absolute measurements of PMSE strength at this site, a technique is developed to determine the radar efficiency using cosmic (sky) noise variations along with the help of a calibrated noise source. VHF radars are only rarely calibrated, but determination of efficiency is even less common. Here we emphasize the importance of efficiency for determination of cross-section measurements. The significant advantage of this method is that it can be directly applied to any MST radar system anywhere in the world as long as the sky noise variations are known. The radar efficiencies for two on-site radars at Resolute Bay are determined. PMSE backscatter cross-section is estimated, and decade-long PMSE strength variations at this location are investigated. It was noticed that the median of the backscatter cross-section distribution remains relatively unchanged, but over the years a great level of variability occurs in the high power tail of the distribution.

Regularizing method for the determination of the backscatter cross section in lidar data

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfei Wang ◽  
Jianzhong Zhang ◽  
Andreas Roncat ◽  
Claudia Künzer ◽  
Wolfgang Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Lidar Data ◽  
Backscatter Cross Section

Hydraulic Transport of Sand/Shell Mixtures

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Ramsdell ◽  
Sape A. Miedema ◽  
Arno M. Talmon
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Critical Velocity ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Settling Velocity ◽  
Hydraulic Transport ◽  
Erosion Process ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Small Cross Section ◽  
Horizontal Cross Section ◽  
Sand Particles

When considering pumping shells through a pipeline we have to consider that the shells are not spherical, but more discs shaped. When shells settle they will settle like leaves where the biggest cross section is exposed to the drag. But when they settle, they will settle in the same orientation, flat on the sediment, so the sides of the shells are exposed to the horizontal flow in the pipeline. Since the side cross section is much smaller than the horizontal cross section, a much higher velocity is required to make them erode and go back into suspension. The settling velocity is much smaller because of the large area of the cross section. Even when the slurry velocity exceeds the settling velocity, there will always be some shells that will reach the bottom of the pipe due to the combination of settling velocity and turbulence. Once these shells are on top of the sediment they are hard to remove by erosion, because they lay flat on the surface and have a small cross section that is exposed to the flow compared with the weight of the shell. So although their settling velocity is much lower than equivalent sand particles, the erosion velocity is much higher. If we look at the beach in an area with many shells, we can always see the shells on top of the sand, covering the sand. In fact the shells are shielding the sand from erosion, because they are hard to erode. The bigger shells will also shield the smaller pieces, because the smaller pieces settle faster. Compare this with leaves falling from a tree, the bigger leaves, although heavier, will fall slower, because they are exposed to higher drag. The same process will happen in the pipeline. Shells settle slower than sand grains, so they will be on top of the bed (if there is a bed), just like on the beach. Since they are hard to erode, in fact they protect the bed from being eroded, even if the line speed is increased. The combination of high erosion velocity and the shell ‘protecting’ the bed means that even a small amount of shells can lead to relatively thick bed in the pipeline. But there will always be velocities above the bed that will make the shells erode. The paper describes the settling and erosion process of shells and the consequences of this on the critical velocity when pumping a sand/shell mixture through a pipeline. A mathematical model of the processes involved will be presented.

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