A comparison of bathymetry mapped with the Simrad ME70 multibeam echosounder operated in bathymetric and fisheries modes

Abstract

The Simrad ME70 multibeam echosounder was designed for quantitative fisheries research and is currently installed on Ifremer's fishery survey vessel (FSV) "Thalassa" and each of the new, quiet, NOAA FSVs. The ME70 has configurable beams and transmits in the range 70-120 kHz to provide calibrated, acoustic-backscattering data throughout the detection range (fisheries mode, FM). With optional hardware and software, the ME70 can also collect soundings that potentially meet International Hydrographic Organization's S-44 Order 1 standards (bathymetric mode, BM). Furthermore, with custom algorithms and software, bathymetric data can be obtained from the ME70 operating in FM, and volume backscatter can be sampled from the ME70 operating in BM. This flexibility allows data to be concurrently collected on fish and their seabed habitat. A method is described for processing the echo amplitude and phase data from multiple split-beams formed in FM to estimate seabed range, slope, and roughness. The resulting bathymetry is compared with that collected with the ME70 operating in BM in the same area of the Bay of Biscay. A proposal is made for software development to facilitate dual-use data processing. © 2010 United States Government, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center.