What does it take to truly see the seafloor? Turns out, you must listen! Researchers on R/V Falkor (too) are testing a sonar system new to scientific seafloor mapping: Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (InSAS).
Combining bathymetric data with acoustic imagery allows scientists to paint an incredibly detailed picture of the seafloor using sound beams. InSAS is capable of unmatched resolutions, fine enough to depict individual animals dwelling in the depths, and it has the potential to be a game changer in the study and management of Ocean environments.
