A hybrid Fuzzy–PSO framework for across-track radiometric beam pattern extraction from multi-sector multibeam backscatter
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Radiometric correction of multibeam echosounder (MBES) backscatter is critical for quantitative seabed interpretation. MBES beam patterns are pre‐calibrated but drift over time. Hiroji's framework extracts relative beam patterns from measured data by separating seafloor angular response from system response, performing well under large roll and pitch. However, under limited roll variation, the retrieved across‐track pattern suffers from discontinuities, gain jumps, and stitching errors at sector boundaries. To improve stability, we propose a hybrid Fuzzy–PSO soft‐computing framework. It preserves the GRA–SRA separation principle, replaces hard‐threshold outlier rejection with fuzzy reliability weighting, and replaces local common‐GRA offset estimation followed by chain‐wise stitching with PSO‐based global alignment. A 2² ablation experiment using Kongsberg EM2040 field data evaluates individual and coupled effects of the two modules. Results on three datasets show: on the representative dataset, the dominant boundary discontinuity is reduced by 91.8\%; on the fuzzy‐sensitive dataset, local boundary consistency improves by 27.22\%; on the severe‐fracture dataset, a 56.8\% reduction is still achieved. The framework preserves intra‐sector radiometric patterns without introducing statistical noise or nonphysical fluctuations. 2D backscatter imagery correction on the representative dataset demonstrates that the framework effectively suppresses systematic intensity variations while preserving textural features of seafloor morphology and geology.
Source: Ocean Engineering
Authors: Liangyu Ding, Hongwei Zhang, Tao Tang, Tie Li
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,150
Awards: G1839310859, G2217610783
OpenAlex ID: W7213977304