An Analytical Formulation for Wide-Band Beam Patterns Using Sparse Arrays

In this paper the evaluation of beam patterns in active beamforming systems using wide-band signals and sparse arrays is addressed. Beamforming is a linear technique aimed at processing the signals sampled by an array of sensors1. The goal of beamforming is to enhance the signals incoming from a selected steering direction and to attenuate signals incoming from any other direction. In active sonar systems, a scene is insonified first by an adequate acoustic pulse transmitted toward it. After the acquisition of the backscattered echoes by an array, the image of the scene2,3,4,5,6 can be created by computing and displaying several beam signals, steered in the directions of interest.