SX90 sonar data in the Beaufort Sea: 2014

• Main Authors: Fortier, Louis, Geoffroy, Maxime
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network 2014
• Subjects: Acoustic; Amundsen Gulf; Arctic cod; Beaufort Sea; Marine mammals; Target strength; ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada; Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment; Arctic; Canada; Kongsberg; Omni; ArcticNet; Mackenzie Shelf
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5443/11992; https://www.polardata.ca/pdcsearch/?doi_id=11992

The data set is composed of raw files recorded with the Kongsberg Maritime SX90 long-range, low frequency (20-30 kHz) fisheries sonar during the CCGS Amundsen 2014 summer expedition in the Beaufort Sea. The sonar transducer was lowered 2.5 feet below the hull through a gate-valve. The cylindrical 256-elements transducer allows both a horizontal and a vertical sound transmission, and the omni-directional sonar beam can be tilted from +10 to -60 degrees to scan a large portion of the water column. The raw acoustic data were saved onto an external drive and print screens of interesting targets (fish schools and/or marine mammals) were recorded. : Purpose: Environmental changes and the recent interest in offshore hydrocarbon resources have heightened the need for data and an understanding of aquatic ecosystem components in the Beaufort Sea/Mackenzie Shelf/Amundsen Gulf region. Here, the use of a fisheries sonar to detect and identify fish and marine mammals is investigated. In addition to the larger coverage relative to that of an echosounder, fisheries sonars allow detection of targets up to 1 m below the ocean surface and at distances of up to 2 km from the vessel, thereby reducing biases related to vessel. The fish component of this study aims at detecting Arctic cod aggregations near the surface using the SX90 sonar, and to document their distribution, size and migration patterns. The marine mammal component aims at assessing the effectiveness of the SX90 sonar to detect marine mammals at a distance from the vessel, and to establish acoustic recognition criteria. : Summary: Not applicable