Change detection of seafloor topography by modeling multitemporal multibeam echosounder measurements

Abstract

The term "topography" implies the study of numerous landforms that exist on or below the Earth and a detailed knowledge of topography is required to understand the most Earth processes. In the oceans, sea floor topography refers the geographic features of the sea floor including the configuration of a surface and the position of its natural and man-made features; and detailed nautical charts are fundamental for many sciences such as physical oceanography, biology and marine geology. The hydrographic offices, which use the Multi Beam Echo sounder (MBE) system for the establishment of nautical charts, have their own set of accuracy standards for hydrographic surveys, which generally comply with the standards defined by the International Hydrographic Organization. MBE systems include multiple measurement systems such as sonar head, positioning system, motion sensor that work in a synchronized manner. Before the measurements, the 'Patch Test' is required to eliminate the systematic errors due to instrumental synchronization and installation. In this test, signal delay test (latency), Y-axis rotation (roll), X-axis rotation (pitch), Z-axis rotation (yaw) errors are calculated. Besides, the effects of the sound velocity measurement through water column and the sea level changes need to be taken into consideration especially in the multi-temporal data analysis and 3D modeling. In this paper, the seafloor of the Anamur -TRNC Drinking Water Pipeline route in the 'Northern Cyprus Water Project' is selected as a study area. This project, a unique in the world, is an international water diversion project designed to supply water for drinking and irrigation from southern Turkey to Northern Cyprus via pipeline under Mediterranean Sea. Multi temporal multi beam echo sounder measurements are used in the change analysis and surface modeling and the efficiency of this system is outlined together with its limitations.