Cooperative research between the USDA-ARS-National Sedimentation Laboratory (NSL) and the National center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) is being actively pursued. The hydraulic laboratories at the NSL provide an excellent venue for testing and improving acoustic techniques for suspended-sediment measurement. As seen in the accompanying photographs, several flumes have been used in the development process.
The BASIS is a proprietary unit owned by the National Sedimentation Laboratory. It is a 2-channel, computer-controlled, high-resolution pulse/echo system that records bottom echo and sediment backscatter information. All of this information is collected in near real-time and can be stored to disk for later retrieval and analysis. Two 2.5 cm, 1 MHz transducers were used.
Click the following links to read more about research using the BASIS system:
