Geophysics Mapping Platform (GeMaP)
The Geophysics Mapping Platform (GeMaP) is provided by the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) on a competitive basis. It is based around a Teledyne Reson SeaBat 7101 multibeam echosounder and SBG Systems Navsight Apogee inertial navigation system.
Geophysics Mapping Platform (GeMaP)
By means of a pole, the Seabat 7101 transducer is deployed off the side of the boat to send sound pulses down to the seabed and then listen for an echo. Each echo is a measurement of range (two-way-travel time) across 512 beams (soundings). The boat sails up and down over a region of seabed sending pulses and receiving echoes via the multibeam transducer. With hundreds of thousands of soundings, a bathymetric (measurement of water depth) chart of the seafloor can be created. Using this platform, large areas of the seabed can be mapped in three dimensions and at high resolution.
Socio-economic implications
- The seafloor is the foundation of the Blue Economy
- Understanding and mapping is required to sustainably develop fisheries, oil and gas industry and marine mining
- Understanding and mitigating coastal erosion
Users
- Seven institutions and a growing number of partners
Future
- Extension of depth capabilities
- Sub-surface profiling
- Side-scan sonar
Functionality
- Multibeam echosounder and navigation systems that create high resolution 3D terrain models of the seafloor
Transformation & Capacity Development
- Growing an under-capacitated discipline
Funders
- DSI, NRF-SAIAB
