Side-Scan SONAR
Side-scan SONAR was developed to address the limitations of single-beam sounding. Side-scan SONAR, like a single-beam sounder, transmits sound energy and thereafter analyzes the strength of the return signal (echo) that has bounced off the seafloor or other objects.
The sound energy (ping) is transmitted from the sides of a side-scan SONAR equipped towfish, creating a fan like beam on either side that sweeps the seafloor many times per second. The return signals (echos) are recorded, processed in real-time and stacked, creating an image of the seafloor and any other objects within range of the pings.
While contours of the seafloor and objects on it can be imaged quite well, most sidescan sonar systems cannot provide accurate bathymetric data. Bathymetry is the study of underwater depth of lake or ocean floors.
