Creation of Backscatter Working Group

Geohab is putting together a Working Group on Backscatter Data Acquisition and Processing. This was one of the main recommentations of the workshop on 'Multibeam Backscatter – State of Technology, Tools and Techniques' which was held on 5 May 2013 in Rome, Italy.

During this workshop, the need for standardisation of the acquisition and processing backscatter caused by multibeam echo sounders was expressed.

The purpose of the Working Group is to discuss and propose a series of best practices or standards for acquisition and processing of multibeam sonar backscatter data, and to prepare a set of guidelines. Recommendations will also be emitted toward manufacturers (of sonar systems and software). The working group initially is to propose a strategy for backscatter acquisition and processing, possibly including full water column data. This should be presented during the 2014 Geohab conference in Lorne, Australia.

Further details of the starting Backscatter Working group are available from the Geohab website.