Social Sciences and the Law

How does sonar work?

Link to this answer

CloseClose

Link to this answer

Share this credible answer with others. Simply paste this code into your blog or Web page:

<a href="http://qanda.encyclopedia.com/question/does-sonar-work-113266.html" >How does sonar work?</a>
E-mail this answer Link to this answer

A pulse of electric energy vibrates the diaphragm of the projector, sending sound waves through the water. These waves are concentrated into a sound beam, which scans the water when the projector is rotated. After the sound wave is emitted, the projector is converted into a hydrophone and listens for an echo. The cycle is repeated periodically. A returning echo is converted into an electric current by the transducer and may be interpreted (for range, bearing, and the nature of the target) aurally or by a cathode-ray tube, as is done with radar signals.

Answer verified with
Get more facts and information about sonar . Or, view the full encyclopedia entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

Similar questions: Can you describe the function of sonar? How does sonar detect things under water? [ Hide these questions ]

Related research questions

Related research articles

Sonar signals: sound waves that will help you see better than ever underwater.
Magazine article from: National Fisherman ...Furuno's newest sonar does. In fact, Furuno is...look at the 85/215 sonar," Bradburn says. The...high-frequency omni sonar has been marketed for...pollock and hake. (Omni sonars transmit and receive...while a searchlight sonar works its way around the circle...
Sonar Professional: high-speed text retrieval. (evaluation)
Magazine article from: Information Today ...MacWrite, Word, Works, More, Page-maker...can be handled by Sonar Professional. The...Manual Browsing the Sonar Professional manual...of how the package works and what it produces...Included in the Sonar Professional package...disk. This package does for Macintosh users...
New rules for Navy sonar to protect whales, other animals.(Local)
Newspaper article from: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA) ...rules might be in the works for the U.S. Navy's use of sonar off the Washington and...the harm that sonar does to marine mammals...coasts. The proposal does not seek permission...This type of sonar does not harm marine mammals...
Sound Advice: Cakewalk's Sonar 2.0 XL. (Test Patterns).
Magazine article from: AV Video Multimedia Producer ...RATINGS: 4 Summary: Sonar is now more accommodating...for DirectX plug-ins, Sonar XL went head-to head...native VST plug-ins. Sonar 2.0 XL ($599) ups...concentrates on refining it to work with the wealth of audio...emulator). Sonar XL 2.0 does a much better job of integrating...
The sound of shapes. (dolphins and sonar)
Magazine article from: The Economist (US) SONAR works like this. You send...reflected-lets you work out how far away the...about how it really works. When a dolphin distinguishes...objects by echolocation, does it simply choose between...where her sonar cannot work), and then putting...
See all results at HighBeam

HighBeam gives you access to newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles plus press releases, facts, information, and biographies from thousands of sources.