Ocean Pathfinder: Introduction
To complete this quest, place an entry onto your website- Next to your previous entry on multibeam sonar, discuss how people used to conduct soundings BEFORE the use of technology and how technology has changed how we conduct readings.
In order to create charts that show the shape of the coasts, currents, and the depth of coastal waters, hydrographers take measurements of water depth, also called soudings. They used to use lead lines to make depth measurements. A lead line is a rope or line with a 10-pound lead weight attached to the end. The hydrographer lowers the line into the water until the weight reaches the bottom. Markings on the line show how much line has been let out, which is equal to the depth of the water. Depth soundings made with lead lines are accurate, but they are time consuming and only give information about a specific single points of the sea bottom, resulting to many lead line measurements to accurately survey a given area. Now, modern hydrographers use sidescan and multibeam sonar for soundings and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS) to produce very detailed pictures of the sea floor. Because of our advanced technology, more accurate and precise information/data can be gathered, and helps us understand more about proper navigational practices.