Assessing the repeatability of sediment classfication method and the limitations of using depth residuals

Knowing the morphology and sediment composition of the seabed is of high importance for various applications. In this contribution, the repeatability of acoustic seafloor classification (ASC) results obtained from MBES backscatter value is investigated. The unsupervised classification algorithm based on Principal Component Analysis has been...

Geostatistical modelling of multibeam backscatter for full-coverage seabed sediment maps

Extensive seabed sediment mapping is highly relevant to describe marine ecosystems and to quantify the distribution and extent of benthic habitats. Compared to traditional mapping methods, primarily based on bed sampling, multibeam echo sounding (MBES) is a time-efficient tool to acquire high-resolution bathymetric and backscatter data over...

Performance of Multibeam Echosounder Backscatter-Based Classification for Monitoring Sediment Distributions Using Multitemporal Large-Scale Ocean Data Sets

Obtaining an overview of the spatial and temporal distribution of seabed sediments is of high interest for multiple research disciplines. Multibeam echosounders allow for the mapping of seabed sediments with high area coverage. In this paper, the repeatability of acoustic classification derived from multibeam echosounder backscatter is addressed...

A multispectral bayesian classification method for increased acoustic discrimination of seabed sediments using multi-frequency multibeam backscatter data

Multi-frequency backscatter data collected from multibeam echosounders (MBESs) is increasingly becoming available. The ability to collect data at multiple frequencies at the same time is expected to allow for better discrimination between seabed sediments. We propose an extension of the Bayesian method for seabed classification to multi...

Mapping the seabed and shallow subsurface with multi-frequency multibeam echosounders

Multi-frequency multibeam backscatter (BS) has indicated, in particular for fine sediments, the potential for increasing the discrimination between different seabed environments. Fine sediments are expected to have a varying signal penetration within the frequency range of modern multibeam echosounders (MBESs). Therefore, it is unknown to...

Monitoring underwater nourishments using multibeam bathymetric and backscatter time series

Natural and man-induced coastal erosion endanger life and environment in coastal areas worldwide. For sedimentary barrier coasts, beach and underwater nourishments are an efficient coastal protection strategy. To optimize nourishments and to understand their impact on the marine environment, monitoring strategies are required. In this study,...