Hydro International Columns

Traditionally the hydrographer, interested primarily in measuring the precise depth for charting purposes, suppressed acoustic ‘noise’ in the water column; now we realise what the ‘noise’ can ...

It seems that whichever way I look nowadays I am surrounded by technology and data. Sometimes there is such a huge volume of data that it is inconceivable how anybody can comprehend the ciphers withou...

"It is on the Web" has become one of the most common responses that I hear whenever I ask for information about almost anything. The only problem with this has to be where on the Web? Typing the word ...

Not so much divided, perhaps, as fragmented. The interests of professionals engaged in the hydro survey industry are represented by a number of different bodies, both nationally and internationally. I...

I work for the Japan Hydrographic Association (JHA). As some of you may know, I spent most of my career with the Hydrographic Office of Japan. The organisation that I work for is under the supervision...

There is at present a huge rise in the tasks and responsibilities of most national Hydrographic Offices (HOs) world-wide. Most governments require them to undertake work related to both national respo...

I was recently asked by Hydro international to answer, in the form of an Invited Reply, the question of why fewer people are choosing hydrographic surveying as a profession. Levels of students have di...

The academic institution I work with recently acquired a multi-beam echo sounder system for the purpose of training undergraduate students. Moreover postgraduate students can also use the system as pa...

Over the last few years it has become apparent to many in our profession that some form of recognised formal career development, above and beyond an initial degree or course of study, is becoming more...

As I sit down to write this periodic column, I am reminded of the story of the grizzled old retired fisherman sitting in a waterfront tavern. It is a dreadful night, rain pouring down, a storm howling...

GOMaP, the Global Ocean Mapping Project, was a plan to methodically map all the world's oceans by multi-beam sonar. It may be stalled, but swath mapping of the oceans is certainly proceeding at a bris...

For many years we have been familiar with the term ‘Cat A’ or ‘Cat B’, referring respectively to International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) A...

Legislation varies from country to country, with respect to the definition of the maritime, fluvial and lacustrine spaces administered by the state. In general, the sea floor and the water column are ...

Many international organisations and individuals have been aware of the dire need for the improvement of navigational services to shipping in many parts of the developing world. The lack of these serv...

Twenty-cm accuracy GPS-based systems are already available offshore in many parts of the world, and progress is being made towards centimeter-accuracy systems. Can we find real benefits from this incr...