The detection and tracking of
ships can be realized by using the laser forward and backward
scattering characteristics of ship wake bubbles. In this paper, the
detection ability of two kinds of scattering to wake bubbles is
studied. Based on the distribution characteristics of ship wake and
bubble targets, typical bubble targets are selected to study from both
micro and macro aspects. The light scattering model of water is
established from the microscopic aspect, and the forward and backward
scattering light intensity equations of water are derived. The
circumferential scattering characteristics of a single bubble are
analyzed based on the Mie scattering theory. According to the
transmission characteristics of light in wake bubbles, the secondary
scattering model of wake bubbles is established, and the forward and
backward scattering light intensity equations are derived. In the
macroscopic aspect, the laser scattering simulation model of wake
bubbles is established by Monte Carlo, and the forward and backward
scattering characteristics of wake bubble clusters with different
radii, densities, and thicknesses are analyzed emphatically. A laser
forward scattering and backscattering detection system under typical
bubble characteristics was built, and the composite scattering
characteristics of wake bubbles with different parameter
characteristics were experimentally analyzed. The theoretical and
experimental results show that with the increase of bubble radius,
density, and thickness, the amplitude of laser forward scattering
signal of bubble groups decreases gradually, the amplitude of backward
scattering signal increases gradually, the change rate of forward and
backward scattering amplitude increases, and the change rate of
backscattering is obviously larger than that of forward scattering.
The detection of wake bubbles by backscattering has more
characteristic changes than that by forward scattering, and the
detection success rate is higher. The research results can provide
theoretical and experimental support for the design of a ship wake
laser detection system.