Ocean floor mapping

[Darren in NC]

Are any of you savy with bathmetric software... say like ARCGIS mapping of the ocean floor? How detailed would it be? I would think this might help in wreck hunting...especially the magnetometer surveys. If I were looking for an old steamer in the Gulf of Mexico and knew its general location, would a spike show up?

Does anyone have experience with any software along these lines?

 

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[doubloon]

Darren, there is free software called SEACLEAR (version 2) that has some of the cababilities you are looking for. I have it and have used it quite a bit for fishing offshore of NC. You can scan in bathy maps from NOAA's website, calibrate the maps with another free program MAPCAL, which is located on the SeaClear website. This software allows you to hook your handheld GPS or other GPS antennae to your computer and track real-time on any map of your choice. The software was developed by an open-ocean captain (out of Great Britain as I recall), and for some humbling reason he shares it for free.

As for the spike, not sure if you are looking at your own data, NOAA, or others; but spikes/circles in the NOAA bathy maps could be rock out-crops, wreck debris, or etc, etc. The NOAA data is comprised on a large scale, so its not as detailed as would show up on your own scope if you are over that same area.

Neat stuff...Good Luck!

 

[Cablava]

Darren

You might try Woods Hole for info. These guys were using it a while back for Woods Hole, Tammie Middleton, Jill Rozycki, Kara Hass, and Glynn Williams if they are still there they may be able to help you.

I have found them helpful in the past.

Mike

 

[Darren in NC]

Thanks, Mike. Here's the response from Woods Hole FAQ page...

Can I use this data to find a shipwreck?
Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Data from SeaBeam 2100 is almost always too coarse to identify objects as small as a sunken ship. It is conceivable that, under the ideal conditions, one might be able to use SeaBeam 2100's sidescan capability to image such a small object, but there are a number of other sonar systems designed for this purpose that would do a much better job.

 

[ScubaDude]

Hull mounted multibeams just don't have the resolution at the greater depths.

 

[Cablava]

Darren

Woods Hole are a mind of information, try to get hold of one of the people I mentioned. These guys have worked with ARCGIS for some time so they must have more opinion.

They are good people and have always put info when asked.

Regards

Mike