U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

icon-dot-gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

icon-https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Acoustic backscatter intensity from multibeam echosounder data collected offshore of the Eel River, California

This part of USGS Data Series 781 (Golden, 2019) presents 2-m-resolution acoustic backscatter data for the Offshore of the Eel River, California, map area. Backscatter data were collected by Fugro Pelagos in 2008 using a combination of 400-kHz Reson 7125, 240-kHz Reson 8101, and 100-kHz Reson 8111 multibeam echosounder systems. The data were post-processed by the California State University Monterey Bay Seafloor Mapping Lab. The acoustic backscatter data are available as a georeferenced TIFF image. Within the final imagery, brighter tones indicate higher backscatter intensity, and darker tones indicate lower backscatter intensity. The intensity represents a complex interaction between the acoustic pulse and the seafloor, as well as characteristics within the shallow subsurface, providing a general indication of seafloor texture and composition. Backscatter intensity depends on the acoustic source level; the frequency used to image the seafloor; the grazing angle; the composition and character of the seafloor, including grain size, water content, bulk density, and seafloor roughness; and some biological cover. Harder and rougher bottom types such as rocky outcrops or coarse sediment typically return stronger intensities (high backscatter, lighter tones), whereas softer bottom types such as fine sediment return weaker intensities (low backscatter, darker tones).

Get Data and Metadata
Author(s) Guy R Cochrane orcid
Publication Date 2023-09-30
Beginning Date of Data 2008
Ending Date of Data 2008
Data Contact
DOI https://doi.org/10.5066/P902YIF5
Citation Cochrane, G.R., 2023, Acoustic backscatter intensity from multibeam echosounder data collected offshore of the Eel River, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P902YIF5.
Metadata Contact
Metadata Date 2023-09-30
Related Publication
Citations of these data No citations of these data are known at this time.
Access public
License http://www.usa.gov/publicdomain/label/1.0/
Loading...
Harvest Source: Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System
Harvest Date: 2025-01-22T04:21:20.072Z