SSS - Side-scan Sonar

The Side Scan Sonar is used for the ultrasonic imaging of the seafloor. It consists of two transducers mounted on each port of an underwater fish. The towed configuration provides better image because it assures a smoother trajectory. It is most useful for seabed mapping, wreck surveys, seek and rescue operations, UXO and object surveys and other applications where imaging the seabed is needed. Side-scan sonars are used for underwater sound visualization of the seafloor and targets of interest. It works using ultrasounds, being independent from water transparency and providing centimeter resolution images. The resolution of the sonogram is proportional to the used frequency. Thus, for a large frequency, the resolution of the sonogram will be larger, but because of the fast attenuation of high- frequency sound in water, it can only provide a smaller coverage. We operate several systems with frequencies ranging between 330 and 1250 kHz.