Bathymetry is the examination of the topography of the bottoms of water areas such as oceans, seas, lakes, streams and rivers with sufficient water masses. Bathymetry measurements are a measurement method included in hydrographic measurements. In the old days when the need for measurement was felt, sound waves began to be used in bathymetry measurements, which were carried out with the classical method of echo sounding. Sonar systems, which provide depth measurement with sound waves, have both increased the measurement accuracy and shortened the time to do the job. With the latest technologies, methods such as satellite bathymetry and lidar bathymetry have also begun to be used. However, satellite bathymetry method is low in accuracy and lidar bathymetry cannot be used except in very shallow areas, so they generally cannot provide the requested result data.

Bathymetry measurements are divided into singlebeam and multibeam measurements:

What is Singlebeam Echosounder?

Singlebeam echosounder is an acoustic device that uses sonar technology to map the underwater bottom. It measures distance with the electronic system inside by sending a single sound beam to the underwater bottom. It can provide measurements on the vertical line it moves at the time of measurement. Its advantages include simplicity, low cost, and suitability for very shallow and very deep water research. They are widely used in activities such as hydrographic research, sediment transport studies and environmental monitoring in coastal areas.

What is Multibeam Echosounder?

Multibeam echosounder is an acoustic device that uses advanced sonar technologies to map the underwater floor. It allows the measurement of areas of varying widths depending on the depth on the bottom surface by sending multiple sound beams to the underwater floor at specified angles. Thus, in measurements made on a single line in the field, a much wider area is measured compared to singlebeam echosounder devices and more precise data is obtained. In a correctly made multibeam measurement, the entire measurement area should be measured without leaving any gaps. The advantage of multibeam echosounder devices lies in their ability to efficiently cover large areas of the sea floor by providing high-resolution bathymetric data, which is very important for various marine and underwater studies. They are frequently used in areas such as marine construction, underwater archaeology, navigation safety in and out of ports, sunken object imaging, etc.