Acquisition, processing and geologic interpretation of Multibeam bathymetric datasets and correlations with multichannel seismic profiles: applications to the Salernoi Gulf (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea)

The research project is based on the processing and the interpretation of bathymetric data recorded by the IAMC-CNR of Naples, Italy through different types of Multibeam lateral echosoundings. The Multibeam is a sonar allowing for a high resolution reconstruction of the sea bottom morphology. It is a strongly technological instrument having its development only in the last ten years; in fact, only the power of modern calculators allowed to manage the large amount of data and operations. The principles of functioning of the Multibeam sonar are briefly resumed. From the Multibeam head it starts a set of acoustic signals, called beam, perpendicular to the ship's track. The times of arrival of each single beam are recorded and corrected based on the angle of start from the head and on the sound velocity profile, previously measured. Due to the ship's instability and travelling on a fluid not quiet, the data are corrected by an accelerometer, measuring the heave, roll and pitch of the ship. The acquisition system is interfaced with a GPS differential positioning system.