Are there any SONAR techs here?

[Subdivisions]

If so, can you explain what is going on in this BP feed of the Skandi side-scanning radar?

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/html/Skandi_ROV1.html

[TheWraith]

1. Not a tech, but some knowledge of the mechanics.

Looks like a near-field object is producing a strong return on the radar, blinding it to anything behind the object except echoes.

[Billy Burnett]

2. Yes.

Oops.

[spanone]

5. i love the radar....sounds great...

[Canuckistanian]

3. First off, it's Sonar, not radar. It uses sound waves, not radio.

And it takes a lot of technical knowledge to interpret what's on that screen, since we don't know exactly where it's pointed.

THEY may not know either. This may be a data-gathering sweep, with some post-processing being applied later to make a 3-D map of the area.

[Subdivisions]

4. Thanks for the correction. I don't know why I put radar. I

understand about the 3D mapping aspect. What I'm curious about is the "action" on the screen. There's areas that look like sonar hits that are changing, seem to be eminating around the white dot in the image, which I'm assuming is the BOP. This is why I wanted to see if anyone here could analyze what is going on.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Yes, it looks like the "white dot" is the BOP area

And there are multiple echoes from all the ROVs and equipment in the area.

Basically, the sound is bouncing from one peice of equipment to another, then back to the SONAR receiver.

That's why you see all those "ghost images" behind it.

[rucky]

7. This is DU. We're all sonar techs.

and doctors and lawyers and economists and engineers

[TlalocW]

8. No, but my father was a bat and my mother a dolphin

TlalocW

[greytdemocrat]

9. Probably Godzilla...n/t