Multibeam Echosounder Measurements – Addressing Variability and Expanding the Horizon

Dear Colleagues,

Multibeam echosounders (MBESs) have come of age over recent decades and they are increasingly used to map the oceans and water bodies around the world. We know less about our own planet than we do about the surface of Venus, which is of the same size but 250 million km away. This is compounded by the variability of MBES measurements with space and time. Complex seabeds, habitat changes, changing climate patterns and the increasing use of MBESs for applications beyond mapping make for very large variations between these measurements in space and time.

Manufacturers have increasingly realized the power of MBES-generated backscatter and have introduced calibrated and precisely geolocated backscattered “snippets” signals. In addition, water column measurements add to the richness of MBES data but have barely been exploited thus far. Multifrequency measurements are also possible, enriching the classification of morphological forms of the seabed and subsurface. This also enables fast, noninvasive classification of benthic habitats—a very important topic for the cataloguing of our planet's biological environments. The innovative use of modern multibeam echosounders in areas other than seafloor research enables the discovery of "new worlds"—e.g., the shape of underwater parts of glacier fronts entering the oceans; upside-down echosounders tracking gaseous plumes floating in the water; by monitoring ecosystem users of offshore structures such as marine renewable energy devices; by cataloguing large varieties of marine organisms; biomass estimates of submerged aquatic vegetation; imaging buried remnants of benthic life.

We invite all who are interested in studying underwater environments with multibeam echosounders to present their research in this Special Issue, from instrument development to processing approaches and examples of applications in the study of marine ecosystems and structures. As MBESs are used to expand the horizon of underwater sensing, we also welcome applications beyond traditional seabed mapping. We are looking forward to working with you all on this Special Issue of Remote Sensing, showcasing the latest research and results, promising approaches, and emerging trends.

Dr. Jaroslaw Tegowski
Dr. Philippe Blondel
Dr. Fantina Madricardo
Dr. Jens Schneider von Deimling
Guest Editors

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