How does the USN map the bottom of a lake or ocean?

[Moose1am]

Check out this article. Key thing to look for is the multiple sonar scans that are being used. This is very similar to the way the new Humminbird Matrix 47D works.

http://www.wired.com/news/technology...w=wn_tophead_1

Not sure if you all are aware of the US Submarine that ran into an underwater mountain while it was at 500ft below the surface and traveling at over 40Kots.

Today we need to make the oceans better so that we can run our subs at high speeds and not run into things.

Some of the ocean charts are still relying on data that Captian Cook got with a rope and a weight. According to the article only about 10% of the worlds oceans have been mapped out. We can do better.

Anyone out there ever taken pictures at night and use a flash to paint the picture while having the cameras shutter wide open? I bet that there are some photographers in here that have done this or know the technique.

Using multiple narrowly focused sonar beams can do the same thing. Bats see their world in 3D and can avoid most things in the dark by using echo location.

[Kokanee King]

NOAA(national oceanic atmospheric adminastration) does a pretty god job of maping out the ocean but there is still alot of it out there. And no i did not hear about the sub. A little amazed at that. good topic Moose.

[bentpole]

Moose:You made an interesting point,About only 10% of the oceans being mapped.
I've often thought that if our Gov- Would spend just half as much money studing the oceans as they spend on our space program it would benefit all of use more.There are thing's here on this earth that was put here for our use that we have not even begin to understand. JMO.>>>>Bentpole

[Bruce Carp]

Sub was off Guam about 45 days ago. About a day out and hit an underwater mountain. severely damaged the vessel and only minor injuries to most of the crew, one serious injury or maybe fatality. Interesting.

[Kokanee King]

it is good to hear that they(most of them)survived.

[Cane Pole]

I think someone fell asleep at the wheel. These subs are equipped with obstacle avoidence electronics, just like the jets in the sky.

[Speck1]

I think someone fell asleep at the wheel. These subs are equipped with obstacle avoidence electronics, just like the jets in the sky.

Sounds like somebody was sipping on the homemade torpedo juice huh?

[Hoot]

I suffer from claustrophopia and once in Hawaii was offered the chance to go on-board a sub that was open to the public. About 10 minutes into the tour and I had to get the heck out. Can't imagine being underwater in the thing too. Not to mention hitting something like a mountain. geez.

I've always wanted to dive too, but just being underwater with the gear on gives me the same feeling of being closed in.

I admire those sub guys. They're a different breed of cat I think. My kids tried to get me to go into a WW2 Jap sub in San Francisco a few years back. One look inside the hatch from the deck was enough for me.