| Hydrographic survey equipment is used to help | | | | and would provided an accurate reading of the |
| people to gather information about the waters | | | | depth from the sea/ocean top to its floor. But |
| that are navigable around the globe. This then | | | | today much more sophisticated electronic sensor |
| helps to ensure that the main ships, boats, yachts | | | | systems are being used and aircraft are now |
| and liners that travel the seas, oceans, rivers and | | | | being used more often as well as ships. |
| lakes of this world can do so safely. | | | | Often when the Hydrographic survey is taking |
| Mainly this equipment is used for surveying | | | | place several soundings will be taken for each |
| navigable waters, but it can also be used in | | | | square foot of the sea, ocean, river or lake that |
| relation to marine navigation which helps us to | | | | they cross. But then it will need to be thinned out |
| understand better the state of the sea floor and | | | | because the information collected will often be |
| the ways in which it is changing. | | | | used for very different purposes. |
| However this kind of equipment is mostly used | | | | Some of the information collected will be used to |
| today by offshore oilfield companies. They use it | | | | produce navigation charts; some will be used to |
| to inspect the sea floor during the initial stages | | | | produce digital terrain models whilst other |
| when they are considering where place these | | | | information will be used to make topographical |
| oilfields. They will also use it through out the time | | | | charts. Plus at the same time as being sorted into |
| the oilfields are located where they re to carry | | | | the areas it will be used for also any errors that |
| out regular inspections of the infrastructure | | | | have been collected need to be corrected. |
| surrounding the rigs. | | | | Often along with the Hydrographic survey |
| All the information that is collected during such | | | | equipment the surveyor carrying out this work will |
| surveys is done so under strict rules in order that | | | | need additional equipment for collecting data as |
| the data can be accurately chartered. As well as | | | | well. It is this additional equipment that will be used |
| providing data on the features of the sea, ocean | | | | to provide the information to correct any |
| or river bed it will also include shore features as | | | | soundings that are showing up as errors. Then |
| well can be used by sailors to navigate by. | | | | once the information is considered to be correct it |
| Initially such surveys were carried out through the | | | | can then the charts can be created using either |
| use of a ship which had an echo sounder on | | | | speciality charting software of a CAD package like |
| board. Which would send beams of sound down | | | | AutoCAD. |
| to the sea bed and these would then echo back | | | | |