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Sidescan Sonar

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Submarine Geomorphology

Part of the book series: Springer Geology ((SPRINGERGEOL))

Abstract

Sidescan sonar allows obtaining an acoustic image of the seafloor at high resolution, wide swath and relatively low cost. For that purpose the backscattered signal of an acoustic pulse sent out sideways from an instrument carrier is registered. At low incident angles small-scale relief is well imaged and the length of shadows allows calculation of the height of seafloor features but sidescan sonar is particularly useful in mapping compositional differences of the seafloor. Sidescan sonar images are, however, mostly uncalibrated and need some form of ground-truthing for meaningful geological interpretation. Interferometric sidescan sonar systems now also provide bathymetric information together with backscatter strength.

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Acknowledgements

Tim Le Bas is thanked for the critical reading of an earlier version of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    Ingo Klaucke

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  1. Ingo Klaucke
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Correspondence to Ingo Klaucke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Geology & Seafloor Surveying Group, Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida, Malta

    Aaron Micallef

  2. Institute of Geosciences, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

    Sebastian Krastel

  3. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Savini

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Klaucke, I. (2018). Sidescan Sonar. In: Micallef, A., Krastel, S., Savini, A. (eds) Submarine Geomorphology. Springer Geology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57852-1_2

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