Laboratory Experiment to Measure 5-MHz Volume Backscattering Strengths from Red-tide causing Microalgae Chattonella antiqua

Abstract

An acoustic laboratory experiment using 5-MHz signals was conducted to measure the volume backscattering strengths of red-tide causing microalgae, Chattonella antiqua, which is one of the species of harmful algal blooms in the coastal waters of Korea and Japan. The measured backscattering strengths increased with cell abundance, with a slope of approximately 10 dB per decade increase in cell numbers. The density and sound speed ratios of the Chattonella cell to the water medium were estimated via the density gradient centrifugation method and the time-travel difference method, respectively. Finally, the measured backscattering strengths were compared to those predicted by a fluid-sphere scattering model, in which the estimated sound speed and density contrasts were used as input parameters.