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Articles

1964: Vol. XLI, No. 2

The Significance of Precision Echo Sounding in the Deep Ocean

Submitted
August 11, 2015
Published
2015-07-30

Abstract

In the past ten years or so there has been a gradual increase in the demand for, and use of, precision echo sounders that are able to determine the ocean depth to one part in 3 000 (Luskin et al, 1954). The need for these arose initially from the requirement to examine the very small changes of depth on the abyssal plains. It has been recommended at various international meetings on bathymetry that all echo sounders used in the deep ocean should have this accuracy, but it has not always been accepted that such an accuracy is possible or meaningful (Gabler, 1961). It is our intention in this paper to clarify some of the principles underlying precision echo sounding, and to examine the accuracy available in the light of our present knowledge of the physical properties of sea water, and the possible variations with time in the velocity structure.