Integration of a polarity-preserving chirp subbottom profiler into the NIUST AUV Eagle Ray

A chirp subbottom profiler was integrated into the NIUST AUV Eagle Ray to expand its mapping capabilities. Previously this vehicle has been used primarily for seafloor mapping using a multibeam sonar. The subbottom profiler provides an additional dimension of data, which allows one to visualize up to 60 meters below the seafloor and correlate surface expressions with subbottom structure. The profiler system was integrated into the vehicle´s structure, control software, and operations protocol. The resulting profiler files are merged with the vehicle´s logs and processed to infer physical properties of the seafloor and create pseudo 3D volumes.