Multi-Beam Echo Sounder Time Series

A multi-beam echo sounder time series is a set of repeated multibeam bathymetric surveys over the same area for change detection. A multibeam transmits a fan of beams across track and measures two-way travel time per beam to map a swath of seabed depth in one pass, with vertical accuracy to IHO standards of a few centimeters to decimeters depending on depth. Differencing co-registered surveys quantifies erosion and accretion, dredging volumes, scour around structures, sand-wave migration, and seabed mass movements. The method demands tight positioning, sound-speed profiles, and tidal correction so real change is not masked by survey error.