Sub-Bottom Profiler

The imaging principle of the sub-bottom profiler is based on the changes in amplitude and phase of reflected sound waves when they encounter different media while propagating through subsurface seabed layers. These reflected signals are received by sensors and recorded to produce profile images. The signals emitted by the sub-bottom profiler can penetrate several tens of meters beneath the seabed surface, providing terrain features of the seabed as well as high-resolution characteristics of surface sediments and geological structures.

Currently, Shinkai Ken 1 is equipped with the Edge 3300 Hull Mount Sub-Bottom Profiler. We use a 5×5 array, with a maximum operating depth of up to 5000 meters and a resolution of 6 to 10 centimeters. Its penetration capability reaches about 6 meters in hard rock and up to 80 meters in muddy sediments.