Acoustic seabed classification and correlation analysis of sediment properties by QTC VIEW

A 50-kHz echo sounder and a digital waveform acquisition and seabed classification system were used to record and process echoes from embayments near southeast Vancouver Island, Canada. Each echo was preprocessed and several statistical and spectral algorithms were used to extract its characteristic patterns. The patterns were grouped into four acoustic classes. Ground truth was available from each site allowing each cluster to be associated with a seabed type. The sediment properties and acoustic classification were compared using multivariate correlation analysis. The frequency of occurrence of fine sand was found to have large negative correlation with the penetration of a free-fall penetrometer.