Computer simulation of multibeam echo sounding over rough seafloor

A computer code that simulates multibeam echo‐sounding over realistic (three‐dimensional) bathymetry was used to compare available sounding systems. Two‐dimensional modeling dealt with the resolution of seafloor bathymetry and with the effect of postprocessing algorithms for some typical multibeam systems. The 2‐D bathymetric inputs were idealized bottom features. Three‐dimensional modeling dealt with the gross character of the seafloor, as detected by echo‐sounding systems. The 3‐D bathymetric inputs were realizations of terrain generated by a stochastic model of seafloor roughness. Three‐dimensional modeling indicated that the sounding system may slightly shift the location of peaks within the beam footprint. In addition, the simulated measurements were more sensitive to low‐wavenumber features (i.e., large‐scale roughness) than to high‐wavenumber features (i.e., small‐scale roughness). Resolution gradually decreased with increasing distance from centerline, due to the increasing footprint size of beams at increasing angular distance from the vertical. Lineated terrain was also smoothed by simulated echo‐sounding; lineations may indeed remain undetected if sounding system parameters are not properly selected. Inversion of the simulated measurements indicated that echo‐sounding measurements are dependent not only on the characteristics of the sounding system itself, but on other factors such as the character of the roughness and the orientation of the survey relative to the strike of lineations. The modeling technique provides a way to quantify the system response of a multibeam echo‐sounding system. This work resulted in recommendations as to the most appropriate system for an application in an area of rough bathymetry, and it led to the establishment of criteria for comparing multibeam systems in future applications.