Microcomputer Processing and Interpretation of Side-Scan Sonar Data, Mid Chesapeake Bay
Abstract
The EG&G Model 260-TH side-scan sonar is a high resolution shallow water mapping instrument which produces detailed images of the seafloor over which it is towed. Side-scan sonar is used for a variety of applications, including geologic surveying and minehunting. Raw side-scan data, stored on digital tape, contains many geometric and radiometric errors. Post-processing is necessary to correct these errors and maximize the usefulness of the data. The Borland Pascal program SIDESCAN has been developed for sonograph display and analysis. The program runs on standard MS-DOS microcomputers and displays fully corrected image segments and mosaics. Merging satellite navigation data with the side scan imagery yields ground registered images, allowing a user to accurately locate (in latitude/longitude coordinates) and measure any bottom feature or overlay bathymetric contours. Digital mosaics of the Chesapeake Bay bottom near the Severn River demonstrate the power of the process. Images of mud flats, sandy regions, and oyster bars show the variability of sediment types in the Bay. Many features, both natural and man made, have also been identified, including buoys, the wreckage of a barge, ridges and mounds, a deep channel, submarine cables, and trawl marks. Side-scan sonar, Chesapeake Bay, Microcomputer digital image processing
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 19, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284912
Entities
People
- Christopher A. Linder
Organizations
- United States Naval Academy