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| Sound Velocity for Multi-Beam Systems |
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Multibeam systems are the primary technology for mapping the sea floor. However, multi-beam systems require instrumentation for sound velocity measurement and correction at the sea-surface and throughout the water column. Without such measurements, multi-beam accuracy is jeopardized. Most multi-beam systems include both a sound velocity profiler (see below, the Minos SVP) and a sea-surface sound velocity instrument (the Micro SV) as listed below.
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| Multi-beam echo sounders are now the standard technology used to survey the ocean bottom. Click here to get an overview of how such systems function. |
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| Sound velocity plays a critical role in ensuring multi-beam accuracy. As multi-beam accuracies advance, the dependency on sound velocity - both at the sea surface and in the vertical profile - increases dramatically. Click here to learn more. |
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There are a number of manufacturers of multibeam systems, including R2Sonic, Kongsberg, Reson, Atlas, and L-3 Elac. Click here for a description of the sound velocity packages that AML offers for each manufacturer's system. |
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Measured sound velocity is more accurate than sound velocity calculated from a CTD by a factor of 10. AML Oceanographic pioneered the measurement of sound velocity in the late 1990s. More recently, AML is the only provider of sound velocity instrumentation to offer field-swappable sensor-heads. Learn more... |
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