Assessing the Performance of the Multi-Beam Echo-Sounder Bathymetric Uncertainty Prediction Model

Realistic predictions of the contribution of the various sources affecting the quality of the bathymetric measurements prior to a survey are of importance to ensure sufficient accuracy of the soundings. To this end, models predicting these contributions have been developed. The objective of the present paper is to assess the performance of the bathymetric uncertainty prediction model for modern Multi-Beam Echo-Sounder (MBES) systems. Two datasets were acquired at water depths of 10 <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and 30 <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> with three pulse lengths equaling 27<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">s</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, 54<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">s</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, and 134<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">s</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> in the Oosterschelde estuary (The Netherlands). The comparison between the bathymetric uncertainties derived from the measurements and those predicted using the current model indicated a relatively good agreement except for the most outer beams. The performance of the uncertainty prediction model improved by accounting for the most recent insights into the contributors to the MBES depth uncertainties, i.e., the Doppler effect, baseline decorrelation (accounting for the pulse shape), and the signal-to-noise ratio.