Quantitative characterization of flaws near a surface using inverse born approximation

Quantitative reconstruction of volumetric flaws near a surface of an elastic solid has been carried out experimentally by analyzing the scattered ultrasonic waves. The inverse Born approximation (developed for flaws in bulk materials) was tested for the first time in the determination of the size, shape, and orientation of near-surface flaws. We have studied spherical solid inclusions at various depths below the surface. In addition we examined an approximately 2:1 prolate spheroidal inclusion which was located one major axis below the surface. The determination of the flaw's size, shape, and orientation in terms of an equivalent ellipsoid is realized by performing nonlinear least-squares iteration of the one-dimensional Born inversion results obtained at various scattering directions within a finite aperture. The reconstruction is in good agreement with the actual parameters of the flaw.