A New Method of Highlight Characteristics Calculation for Underwater Targets

A new method is introduced for underwater targets echoes highlight characteristics calculation. The method is based on Kirchhoff approximate equation. The principle of the method is analyzed. The geometrical model of complex underwater target can be established using some modeling software such as 3Dmax ,Maya and Ansys. And the 3D model is rendered to computer screen with OpenGL technique and 3D graphic processing system. With the setting of the model parameters including light, material, position, the target surface's normal vector and space distance information is obtained using computer graphic method and graphical hardware. Instead of computing the surface integral directly, the new method is implemented by calculating the sum of the contribution from all the pixels in the screen image. With calculating the sum of the surface integral reflection parameters, the highlight characteristics of underwater targets echoes is obtained. The calculation procedure of the method is described in detail. And the underwater targets echoes are simulated with the condition of transmitting signal, including frequency, pulse width, direction. Numerical results show the method is effective. And the echo waveform simulation can also be performed by using this method.