Sound Underwater Images: A Guide to the Generation and Interpretation of Side Scan Sonar Data

After a brief introduction to what side scan sonar is and its history, ten well connected and expertly illustrated chapters discuss the basic theory, instrumentation, deployment, survey planning, at-sea operational requirements, interpretation guidelines and pitfalls and mapping applications of 50, 100 and 500 kHz side scan sonars. Sound Underwater Images concentrates primarily on understanding sonar returns from simple known geometries and geologies, progressively developing a working intuitive feel for ocean/bottom and experimental conditions governing side scan sonar response. With only a few exceptions selected for their intrinsic interest (the Civil War U.S.S. Monitor wreck) most sonograms presented are neither too good to be true sales brochure illustrations, nor the fuzzy and unannotated reproductions too often found in texts and reports as well as gathering dust in actual and haphazard archival. ... this is a unique book that fills a long-standing gap, between picture books without discussion and discussion without pictures. The totally pragmatic orientation, style, and resources of Sound Underwater Images requires absolutely no prior background in the concepts or jargon of underwater acoustics, the Glossary giving very good definitions for much of the latter. Students of oceanography, underwater acoustics and ocean/coastal engineering, marine geo- and eco-sciences and naval sciences/navigation should look forward to reading this book and hopefully future volumes of equally strong merit. --Geophysics Magazine, Vol 56 (12)

As a professional in the underwater survey industry, I often recommend this book to those new to the industry, or just joining our company no matter what department. As a Naval Sonar Technician, this book was required reading for all involved in shallow water search and survey operations,as well as being used as a source for training purposes. Sound Underwater Images is a comprehensive text book on Sidescan Sonar data acquisition and interpretation for the amateur as well as the professional surveyor. From basic underwater acoustics to advanced sonar record interpretation, Sound Underwater Images is one of the few texts I refer to again and again. --John Tamplin, President, Seafloor Systems, Inc., Hillsboro, OR USA

I recommend Sound Underwater Images as a standard text for teaching side-scan sonar to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the marine and archaeological sciences at the University of Ulster. The book details data acquisition, processing and interpretation in a highly accessible manner for the novice, and in sufficient detail for the trained sonar operator to learn something new on each read. Each section is clearly written and each case and scenario is supported by excellent imagery. --Rory Quinn, PhD, Lecturer in Marine Geophysics, Centre for Maritime Archaeology