Determination of interface properties by spatial echo distribution processing

Echo amplitudes, detected by present ultrasonic pulse echo methods, are determined to a great part by the properties of the echo producing interfaces. Quantitative analysis by digital signal processing or sophisticated monitoring, especially by amplitude colour coding, appears to be advantageous only if these unwanted echo amplitude distortions can be avoided or compensated for. A promising way to achieve this aim may be the processing of the spatial echo distributions produced by reflection at the echo producing interfaces. In this paper it is shown by mathematical and experimental examination how interface properties can affect the spatial echo distributions.