The mapping of the seabed begins with a broad, initial scan of the area. The scanning is then continued in greater detail at specific areas of interest. An area of the seabed can get scanned hundreds of times in different directions following an exact grid. The work is done mostly during the night when conditions are at their best.
The main component of the scanning system is a so-called transducer mounted on or towed by our boats. The transducer works with multiple chirp-type frequencies and is completely non-invasive to the marine environment.
During the data collection, the boat's positioning follows a computer-generated search pattern with the help of high-accuracy GPS and autopilot.
The signals from the transducer are transmitted downwards towards the bottom and down into the seabed. The system is calibrated to detect objects several meters under the sea floor, which give us the unique ability to map the sub-seabed sediment in great detail.
After the scan is completed, the collected raw data is sent for further processing in software developed uniquely for this purpose.
The processing of raw data requires a lot of computing power but also a great deal of experience and expertise by our specialized analysts interpreting the images.