Classifying sediments on Dutch riverbeds using multi-beam echo-sounder systems

The economic importance of the Dutch rivers is very high as they are heavily used for inland waterway transport between the Netherlands and their neighbouring countries. A minimum depth must be guaranteed to keep the rivers navigable but also to ensure that the ships can carry maximum cargo. An attractive system for obtaining information about...

An inter-comparison of sediment classification methods based on multi-beam echo-sounder backscatter and sediment natural radioactivity data

This contribution presents sediment classification results derived from different sources of data collected at the Dordtse Kil river, the Netherlands. The first source is a multi-beam echo-sounder (MBES). The second source is measurements taken with a gamma-ray scintillation detector, i.e., the Multi-Element Detection System for Underwater...

Improving riverbed sediment classification using backscatter and depth residual features of multi-beam echo-sounder systems

Riverbed and seafloor sediment classification using acoustic remote sensing techniques is of high interest due to their high coverage capabilities at limited cost. This contribution presents the results of riverbed sediment classification using multi-beam echo-sounder data based on an empirical method. Two data sets are considered, both taken at...

Riverbed sediment classification using multi-beam echo-sounder backscatter data

A method has recently been developed that employs multi-beam echo-sounder backscatter data to both obtain the number of sediment classes and discriminate between them by applying the Bayes decision rule to multiple hypotheses [ Simons and Snellen, Appl. Acoust. 70, 1258–1268 (2009) ]. In deep water, the number of scatter pixels within the beam...

Using MBES backscatter strength measurements for assessing a shallow water soft sediment environment

Shallow water naval operations require detailed knowledge of the environmental characteristics. In this context, the BP’07 experiment was carried out in the Mediterranean Sea, south-east of Elba Island, in 2007. Measurements that were taken during this experiment employ a large set of sensors, thereby providing all information required to fully...

Mean grain size mapping with single-beam echo sounders

Echo energies of single-beam echo sounders are inverted for the sediment mean grain size via a combination of theoretical and empirical relationships. In situ measurements of the seafloor mass density have revealed the presence of a thin transition layer between the water and the sediment. Within this layer, which has a thickness of order 1 cm,...