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QAT

Quality Assurance Team: Provides Tools & Resources to help with high-quality multibeam data acquisition SAT/QAT checklist.

  • 2025 R/V Sally Ride EM124 / EM712 QAT

    Cruise ID: SR2501 Multibeam System: EM124/EM712 Dates: January 25-28, 2025 1. R/V Sally Ride (SR) conducted routing quality assurance testing (QAT) for its EM124 and EM712 multibeam mapping systems at proven test sites off San Diego, CA, upon completion of its winter maintenance period 2. The Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) assisted with test planning, configuration…

  • 2025 R/V Sikuliaq EM304 MKII / EM710 QAT

    Cruise ID: SKQ202503S Multibeam System: EM304 MK II/ EM710 Dates: February 3-6, 2025 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2024 R/V Healy EM122 QAT

    Cruise ID: HLY24TE Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: August 13-14, 2024 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2024 R/V Sally Ride EM712/EM124 QAT & Seapath 380-R3 SAT

    Ship ID: R/V Sally Ride Multibeam System: EM712/EM124/Seapath 380-R3 Dates: April 3-5, 2024 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2024 R/V Revelle EM712/EM124 QAT

    Cruise ID: RR2401 Multibeam System: EM712/EM124 Dates: February 12, 2024 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2024 R/V Sikuliaq EM304 MKII/EM710 SAT

    Cruise ID: SKQ202403S Multibeam System: EM304 MKII/EM710 Dates: February 2024 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2023 R/V Thompson EM302 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: TN411Multibeam System: EM302Dates: January 2023 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2023 R/V Healy EM122 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: HLY23TAMultibeam System: EM122Dates: May 23 – July 13, 2023 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2023 R/V Kilo Moana EM122/EM710 QAT Report

    Vessel ID: R/V Kilo Moana Multibeam System: EM122/EM710 Dates: March 21-22, 2023 KM 2023 QAT Executive Summary Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2023 R/V Sally Ride EM124/EM712 QAT

    Cruise ID: SR2307Multibeam System: EM124/EM712Dates: April 4-5, 2023 Executive Summary Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2023 R/V Langseth EM122 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: MGL2301Multibeam System: EM122Dates: February 2-5, 2023 As part of the QAT, major updates were made to the Seapath 330, POS MV V5, and EM122 configurations to reflect the high-quality survey by Westlake Consultants and bring all sensors into a unified mapping reference frame; see System Geometry for more details of the Westlake survey…

  • 2023 R/V Sikuliaq EM302/EM710 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: SKQ202306T Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: April 11, 2023 The University of Alaska’s UNOLS vessel R/V Sikuliaq (SKQ) is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime EM302 andEM710 multibeam echosounders and a Seapath 320 positioning / attitude system Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2022 Healy EM122 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: HLY22TA Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: May 21-23, 2022 USCGC Healy underwent pre-season Quality Assurance Testing to evaluate performance of the multibeam mapping system using existing calibration and accuracy test sites off Washington. Attached Documents Report: Related Information Cruise Data at R2R

  • 2022 Kilo Moana EM122/EM710 QAT Report

    Vessel ID: R/V Kilo MoanaMultibeam System: EM122/EM710Dates: May 22, 2022 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2022 Sikuliaq EM302 / EM710 Calibration Report

    Cruise ID: SKQ202203S Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: April 11, 2021 • The University of Alaska’s UNOLS vessel R/V Sikuliaq (SKQ) is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime EM302 and EM710 multibeam echosounders and a Seapath 320 positioning / attitude system. • During the 2021-22 winter maintenance period in Portland, OR, the Seapath MRU was calibrated by Kongsberg…

  • 2022 Nautilus QAT Report

    Cruise ID: NA136 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: March 1-10, 2022 The 2022 EM302 Quality Assessment Tests (QATs) were conducted during the NA136 engineering shakedown cruise around the islands of Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻifrom March 1stto the 10th. This year’s QAT was very important for two primary reasons:It was the first time to conduct a full…

  • 2021 Sikuliaq QAT EM302 and EM710

    Cruise ID: SKQ202102S Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: April 11, 2021 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2021 Kilo Moana QAT – EM122 and EM710

    Cruise ID: KM2104B Multibeam System: EM122/EM710Dates: May 14-15, 2021 The University of Hawaii’s UNOLS vessel R/V Kilo Moana (KM) is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime EM122 and EM710 multibeam echosounders and an Applanix POS MV-320 v5 Ocean Master positioning / attitude system. The Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) was asked to assist with Quality Assurance Testing (QAT)…

  • 2021 Sally Ride EM124-SAT EM712-QAT

    Cruise ID: SR2104 Multibeam System: EM124/EM712 Dates: June 27 – July 7, 2021 The R/V Sally Ride (SR) received an upgrade of its EM122 topside electronics (installed 2016) to new EM124 hardware and installation of a new SBP29 subbottom profiling system during the 2020-21 maintenance period. Attached Documents Report: Appendix: Related Information

  • 2021 Healy QAT

    Cruise ID: HLY21 TA Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: May 28-30, 2021 Attached Documents Report: Appendix: Related Information

  • 2021 Nautilus QAT Report

    Cruise ID: NA126 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: July 3-10, 2021 The 2021 EM302 Quality Assessment Tests (QATs) were conducted primarily during NA126, the engineering shakedown cruise, with some additional ship self-noise data collected during NA127. This years QAT was very important as in 2020 during NA118/NA119 it was discovered that there was a significant increase…

  • NOAA Patch Test Documentation [Deprecated]

    NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey directs field programs for ship- and shore-based hydrographic survey units; develops hydrographic survey specifications; conducts technological development and application programs to increase efficiency in survey data acquisition, data processing, and chart production; and carries out research to develop techniques and methods for accomplishing these objectives.To learn more, visit: http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsd/hydrog.htm For information…

  • Reference Surfaces

    Reference Surfaces produced by the MAC can be downloaded from the Marine Geoscience Data System. If you have a Reference Surface to contribute please contact us at mac-help@unols.org. The following cruises include Reference Surface Surveys examples: KM0201 (Atlantic) KM1001 (Pacific) AT18-06 (Pacific) RR1301 (Pacific)

  • Swath Coverage Analysis

    Swath coverage performance can be evaluated by extracting the outermost port and starboard soundings to compute swath width from data acquired in a variety of water depths. Swath coverage testing data acquired specifically for this purpose should extend from deep water to shallow water with the ship traveling orthogonal to the slope. Alternately, data from…

  • Tool: Sound Speed Manager (SSM)

    Sound Speed Manager (SSM) aims to merge together functionalities present in three existing applications that process sound speed profiles (SSP) for underwater acoustic systems: NOAA Velocity, MAC SVP Editor, and HydrOffice SSP Manager. Sound Speed Manager has been designed to ease integration into existing data acquisition workflows. The liberal open source license used by the project…

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Mission Planning Toolkit [Preliminary]

    The SVP Mission Planning Toolkit provides a map that characterizes the impact of oceanographic spatial variability on multibeam echo sounding uncertainty. The map is based on the Global Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (Global RTOFS) and is constructed by examining the impact of spatial variability in forecasted temperature and salinity conditions on echosounding uncertainty through ray…

  • 2021 R/V Thomas G. Thompson EM302 QAT

    Cruise ID: TN386 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: January, 2021 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2020 Kilo Moana EM122/EM710 QAT

    Cruise ID: KM2008B Multibeam System: EM122/EM710 Dates: July 28, 2020 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2020 Sikuliaq EM302/EM710 Calibration Report

    Cruise ID: SKQ202008S Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: June 24, 2020 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2020 Neil Armstrong EM122 and EM710 Calibration

    Cruise ID: AR42-02 Multibeam System: EM122/EM710 Dates: February 26-27 2020  1. Calibrations (‘patch tests’) were planned for the EM122 and EM710 multibeam echosounders on R/V Neil Armstrong during AR42-02 following the winter 2019-20 maintenance period. Calibration sites were developed opportunistically along a transit route in the vicinity of the western Florida escarpment.2. The EM710 was most recently…

  • 2020 Healy EM122 QAT Report

    Cruise ID: HLY20TC Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: July 13-19, 2020 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2019 Okeanos Explorer EM302 Shakedown

    Cruise ID: EX1902 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: May, 2019 The primary shakedown activities included: Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2019 E/V Nautilus Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: NA105 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: January 18-21, 2021 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2019 Atlantis Seapath Test

    Cruise ID: AT42-10 Multibeam System: EM122/Seapath Dates: May 5-9, 2019 R/V Atlantis EM122 multibeam data includes intermittent depth artifacts across the swath that do not appear to be correlated with roll, pitch, sound speed, latency, or other sensor integration errors. These were first brought to the attention of the Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) in late…

  • 2019 Sikuliaq Calibration Report

    Cruise ID: SKQ201907T Multibeam System: EM302/EM122 Dates: January 18-21, 2021 The University of Alaska’s UNOLS vessel R/V Sikuliaq(SKQ) is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime EM302 and EM710 multibeam echosounders and a Seapath320 positioning / attitude system Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2019 Vessel Geometry and MBES Offset Recommendations

    Vessel survey reports (VSRs) play a critical role throughout service life (10+ years) of a multibeam echosounder system (MBES) and provide the foundation for future vessel and sensor surveys. This document provides recommendations for VSRs that minimize opportunity for errors in the configuration of MBES and ancillary sensors.

  • 2018 Nautilus Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: NA093 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: May 30 – June 3, 2018 Attached Documents Report: Related Information

  • 2017 Healy Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: HLY17TA Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: May 16-20, 2017 The USCGC Healy is equipped with a Kongsberg MaritimeEM122(12kHz)deepwater multibeam echosounder utilizing both a Seapath 330+ (primary) and Applanix POS/MV(secondary) positioning and attitude reference systems. This report describes the procedures and results from a review of system geometry, geometric calibrations(‘patch tests’),vessel noise testing, swath accuracy…

  • 2017 Kilo Moana Quality Assessment Visit

    Cruise ID: KM1711 Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: July 24-26, 2017 During the late fall of 2016 and spring of 2017 the University of Hawaii’s Ocean Technology Group (OTG) submitted bathymetric data, screen shots (Figure 1), and built in self-test (BIST) data to the Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) and to Gates Acoustic documenting pervasive noise which…

  • 2017 Nautilus Spring Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: NA079 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: May 1-6, 2017 The E/V Nautilus undertook a multibeam echosounder quality assurance test from May 1 to May 5, 2017 during an engineering shakedown leg (NA079) in order to perform an assessment of the vessel’s Kongsberg EM302 multibeam echosounder. Data were collected near the Southern Channel Islands (Figure…

  • 2016 Hugh R. Sharp QAT Visit

    Cruise ID: HRS1602 Multibeam System: Reson 7125 Dates: March 21-23, 2016 The R/V Hugh R. Sharp is equipped with a Reson 7125 SVP2 (200/400 kHz) multibeam echosounder installed on a drop keel and an Applanix POS-MV 320 positioning and attitude system. Traditionally, survey planning and data acquisition are handled using Hypack HYSWEEP software installed on…

  • 2016 Sally Ride System Review

    Cruise ID: SR1601 Multibeam System: EM122/EM712 Dates: July 25-28, 2016 The R/V Sally Ride is equipped with a Kongsberg Maritime EM122 (12 kHz) and EM712 (40-100 kHz)multibeam echosounders both utilizing a Seapath 330+ (primary) and iXBlue HYDRINS (secondary)positioning and attitude reference system. This report describes the procedures and results from areview of system geometry, geometric…

  • 2016 Sikuliaq Calibration Report

    Cruise ID: SKQ201602S Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: March 7-12, 2016 The R/V Sikuliaq is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime (KM) EM302 (30 kHz) and EM710 (70-100 kHz) multibeam echosounders and a Seapath 320 positioning and attitude system with C-NAV DGNSS auxiliary input. These systems were reviewed by the Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) and personnel from NOAA,…

  • 2015 Kilo Moana EM122 MBES Review

    Cruise ID: KM1514 Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: August 9-13, 2015 The R/V Kilo Moana undertook an engineering shakedown leg (KM1514) in order to assess acoustic noise issues documented during the KM1505 Quality Assessment Visit (QAT) conducted by the Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) in April, 2015 and documented in that report (see R/V Kilo Moana, EM122…

  • 2015 Nautilus Spring Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: NA055 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: March 30 – April 5, 2015 Heading into the 2015 operating season, the EM302 and associated sensors aboard E/V Nautilus are working well compared to previous evaluations and to other EM302 systems examined recently. The patch test showed no pitch or yaw bias and only a very slight…

  • 2014 INMARTECH Optimizing Sonar Performance by Managing Acoustics

    Optimizing Sonar Performance by Managing Acoustics Presentation given at the 2014 INMARTECH Meeting in Corvallis, Oregon in November, 2014. Highlights:Typical Sources of Acoustic Noise: Machinery Noise Sonar Interference Electronic Noise Propeller Cavitation (Hub and Tip Vortex) Hydrodynamic Flow Noise Appendage Cavitation Transients Bubble Sweepdown Why Acoustic Noise is Important: Excessive ship-related noise can degrade sonar…

  • 2014 Nautilus Spring Quality Assessment Report

    Cruise ID: NA040 Multibeam System: EM302 Dates: May 4-9, 2014 As it stands now, the EM302 and associated sensors are working well as compared to other EM302s evaluated recently. The patch test revealed very slight residual angular offsets, indicating a successful reinstallation of the MRU and no apparent change to any other component of the…

  • 2014 Falkor Spring Quality Assessment Report

    Vessel: R/V Falkor Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: February 4-7, 2014 The transducer impedances are similar to baseline measurements in 2012 and with those taken in 2013. Transducer conditions, based on these tests, are acceptable and there is no sign of degradation of the transducer arrays. Noise levels for the EM710 remain unchanged and very low.…

  • 2014 Falkor Fall Quality Assessment Report

    Vessel: R/V Falkor Multibeam System: EM710/EM302 Dates: September 22-24, 2014 The R/V Atlantis replaced its EM122 multibeam echosounder with an EM124 upgrade during the 2020-21 mThe EM302 and EM710 multibeams were successfully calibrated and verified for use with both the loaner Seapath MRU and the new POS MV. Angular offsets were small except for the…

  • 2014 Healy Acoustic Test Report

    Vessel: USCGC Healy Multibeam System: EM122 Dates: August 13-24, 2014 Gates Acoustic Services was tasked by SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography to investigate and quantify acoustic issues associated with operation of the USCGC HEALY (WAGBG20). An at-sea investigation was accomplished during ship operations in deep water out of Nome, Alaska on August 13-24, 2014. During the…

  • 2014 QAT Review of R2R MBQA Tests

    Overview The Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R) Program has developed programmatic quality assessment (QA) routines intended to identify suspicious data that may indicate sensor and/or operational problems. In order to assess the results of these QA tests and seek fleet-wide patterns in system performance and operation, this page provides an initial summary the results of R2R Multibeam QA tests…

  • 2013 Falkor Multibeam Echosounder System Review

    Vessel: R/V Falkor Multibeam System: EM710/EM302 Dates: April 2, 2012 The transducer impedances are similar to baseline measurements with exception of the EM710 transducer impedances. This latter potential issue is being examined with the manufacturer but we do not feel, after consultation with the manufacturer, that there is any cause for concern. Noise levels have…

  • 2013 NOAA Ship Rainier Multibeam System Review

    Vessel: Rainier Multibeam System: EM710 Dates: June 2013 Sensor geometry reconfiguration was successfully completed and tested on Rainier and a 14 ms orientation time delay was applied in SIS to accommodate an observed latency in the transmission of motion data from the POSMV to SIS. We feel that these two modifications will improve the data…

  • 2013 Roger Revelle Quality Assurance Report

    Cruise ID: RR1301 Multibeam System: EM124/Seapath 380 Dates: January 21-23, 2013 The accuracy (repeatability, strictly speaking) analysis indicates that the system is performing within expected levels. The EM122 appears to be configured correctly and adequately calibrated. A full patch test calibration was conducted with the offsets being applied in SIS; follow up confirmation calibrations indicate…

  • 2012 Kilo Moana Quality Assurance Report

    Cruise ID: KM1204 Multibeam System: EM122/EM710 Dates: March 13-22, 2012 The point of the QAT visit was to help the host institution in developing protocols and practices that are conducive to the acquisition of high quality multibeam data. Even with a finely tuned and calibrated survey system, it is still possible to collect poor quality…

  • 2012 Falkor Multibeam Echosounder System Review

    Vessel: R/V Falkor Multibeam System: EM302/EM710 Dates: May 2012 RV Falkor is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime (KM) EM302 and EM710 multibeam echosounders (MBES). Both systems underwent Sea Acceptance Trials (SATs) in May 2012 in Sognefjord, Norway. The bathymetric and topographic constraints imposed by the fjord limited the ability to fully test the EM302. Additional system…

  • Cookbook: SIS Software Install

  • Introduction to Patch Tests

    Basic overview of how and why to conduct a patch test.   Read More: GitHub

  • Cookbook: SIS Configuration Backup

  • 2012 Hugh R. Sharp System Configuration

    Vessel: R/V Hugh R. Sharp Multibeam System: Reson 7125 Dates: November 2012 Attached Documents Configuration Reports: Related Information

  • Cookbook: SIS Software Uninstall

  • Cookbook: SIS Startup

    Recommended basic settings for MB data acquisition using SIS 3.8.3

  • Cookbook: Optimizing EM302 Settings for Water Column Imaging

    A document describing some aspects of system configuration to be considered when establishing acquisition protocols for mapping of water column targets with a Kongsberg Maritime multibeam echosounder.  

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Editor [v.1.0.5] [Deprecated]

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Editor [v.1.0.5] [Deprecated]

    This tool is no longer supported by the MAC, please use the SSP Library & Manager For new installations: 1) Visit ftp.ccom.unh.edu, login as ‘anonymous’ and use your email as the password. 2) Navigate to “fromccom/MAC_DATA/” and download Tools.zip, PythonInstall.zip, and Data.zip 3) “Unzip” each of the downloaded files. 4.) Follow the installation directions found in…

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Editor [v.1.0.2] [Deprecated]

    This tool is no longer supported by the MAC, please use the SSP Library & Manager Overview SVP Editor requires the installation of three components:1. Python2.6, along with a small set of additional python modules.2. The SVP Editor source code and supporting libraries.3. The World Ocean Atlas of 2009 (WOA09) data set, available online from the…

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Editor [v.1.0.3] [Deprecated]

    This tool is no longer supported by the MAC, please use the SSP Library & Manager For new installations: 1) Visit ftp.ccom.unh.edu, login as ‘anonymous’ and use your email as the password. 2) Navigate to “fromccom/MAC_DATA/WOA2009/ and download Data.zip. 3) Navigate to “fromccom/MAC_DATA/svp_editor/ and download Python_Install.zip. 4) In the svp_editor directory, you’ll find a series of…

  • Tool: Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) Editor [v.1.0.4] [Deprecated]

    This tool is no longer supported by the MAC, please use the SSP Library & Manager For new installations: 1) Visit ftp.ccom.unh.edu, login as ‘anonymous’ and use your email as the password. 2) Navigate to “fromccom/MAC_DATA/ and download Data.zip. 3) Navigate to “fromccom/MAC_DATA/ and download Python_Install.zip. 4) In the svp_editor directory, you’ll find a series of…