Our Mission

Mapping serves as the backbone of all of our research and is one of SOI’s key focus areas for the next decade of research. As a partner of the Nippon-Foundation GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, an international program to get a high-resolution map of the entire seafloor by 2030, we aim to contribute to the global databases of high resolution multibeam bathymetric data, as well as producing important maps for expansion of protected areas. We strive to map in remote regions, fostering a better understanding of these unknown ecosystems and how to best protect them. To achieve this, Falkor (too)’s suite of multibeam sonars was designed to cover the full range of ocean depth at high resolution: from shallow coastlines to the deepest trenches. This mapping guide is intended as an aid for future science parties you prepare for your expedition aboard Falkor (too).

Multibeam Calibration Verification

After drydock in 2025, system verification and multibeam calibrations were conducted with multibeam contractors and onboard technicians. The result of these calibrations can be seen in the final report and appendix attached here.

Falkor_Too_FKt250606_MBES_QAT_Report_v1.pdf

Falkor_Too_FKt250606_MBES_QAT_Appendix_v1.pdf

Multibeam Echosounder Overview

EM124

Specifications: Full ocean depth (11,000m) multibeam echosounder with 12kHz nominal operating frequency (FM pulses and Tx sectors typically span 10.5-13.5 kHz).
Beamwidth 0.5° Tx with 1° Rx
Depth Range: 20m to 11,000m
FKt Typical Operational Range: 1000m - 6,000m
Swath Width: up to 6 times the depth

EM712

Specifications: High resolution mid range multibeam echosounder with an operational frequency of 40-100kHz.
Beamwidth: 0.25° Tx with 0.5° Rx
Depth Range: 3m - 3,600m
FKt Typical Operational Range: 50m - 1,000m
Swath Width: up to 5.5 times the depth

EM2040

Specifications: High resolution and multi-frequency shallow water multibeam echosounder with an operational frequency band of 200- 700 kHz).
Beamwidth: 0.4° Tx with 0.75° Rx
Depth Range: <1m - 635m
FKt Typical Operational Range: 40m- 100m

Which Multibeam Should I Use?

In general, the best multibeam to use is dependent on depth and survey goals. An easy rule of thumb is:
- <100m : EM2040
- 100m - 1,000m : EM712
- ~1,000m : EM712 and EM124 sync’d
- 1,000m : EM124
Each multibeam’s highest data quality will be achieved at the center of its operational range. However, while operating at the same depth, one multibeam may have a higher resolution of data while the other may have a larger swath width. We see this most often with EM712 and EM124 at 1,000m where EM712 achieves the higher resolution while EM124 achieves a larger swath. Running both multibeams simultaneously will reduce the ping density of both echosounders, which we discuss more below.

Interference

When multiple echosounders are operating simultaneously, their pings can potentially interfere with the other echosounders that are running, making it so that neither echosounder can get clean data. Ksync, a Kongsberg product, works with the echosounder to stagger their transmission timing, allowing us to operate echosounders that would normally interfere with each other simultaneously. A word of caution: by staggering the transmissions, Ksync also increases the standby periods of each echosounder, ultimately reducing the ping density while running multiple echosounders.