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Discover Software |
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DISCOVER is a modular acquisition and processing
software package compatible with all of EdgeTech’s sonar systems.
It serves as the sonar image processing, display, storage and
surface control station for the EdgeTech family of Sub-Bottom
Profilers, Side Scan Sonars, and Combined Systems.
Real-time Sonar Display -
In real-time, the software displays data in a dedicated window.
Each channel of the side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler has
its own independently controlled window.
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Navigation Management – An optional navigation
display shows the location of the vessel on navigational charts.
One of the system’s RS-232 ports can be configured to receive
navigation data from a navigation computer or from a GPS. Various
NMEA 0183 strings are received through this interface. Navigation
information is stored in the trace header of the sonar data. The
navigation message is displayed on the screen and can be printed
on the thermal printer.
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On-line Help, Warnings and Error Messages – A
comprehensive context sensitive help feature lets a user get assistance
without having to consult the manual.
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Printer Drivers - DISCOVER can interface with
a variety of printers. The hard copy is printed in shades of gray
in real-time as well as in post-processing.
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Data Recording & Playback - The raw data received,
is recorded in EdgeTech native sonar file format (.jsf). And (or)
the data can be stored in SEG-Y for the sub-bottom profiler and
eXtended Triton Format (.xtf) for the side scan sonar. The data
can be stored on any device that is identified as a hard drive
by the operating system. Data from any connected sensors are also
logged. DISCOVER can be installed; free of charge, on most any
PC for data replay.
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System Status - During data acquisition the Navigation
and Towfish Status are available at all times. Information such
as position, speed, heading, and depth are displayed if available.
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Pseudo Color - Sonar data can be displayed in
inverse gray scale or in a number of colors. A number of preset
color palettes are available.
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Real-time Geo-referencing -
The sub-bottom data are geo-referenced when navigation information
is supplied to DISCOVER.
Sub-Bottom Profiler Reflection Coefficient
- Since the EdgeTech sonar is linear, the measured refection coefficient
can be used to identify the type of material (i.e. sand, clay,
mud etc.) on the bottom. A graph of the refection coefficient
is displayed in real time.
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Slant Range Correction No Pixel Replication
- Because the imaging source point (transducer) is not on the
seafloor but rather above it, slant range does not represent the
true range between any two objects. Below the towfish, the data
is compressed. Further away from the towfish, the data becomes
less compressed with the least error at the outermost ranges.
The near range compression is corrected via a computerized repositioning
of sonar data on the display using available sonar resolution.
The result is a combined port and starboard image where the range
between any two objects across track is the same regardless of
their absolute range from the side scan sonar tow fish.
Speed Correction – By taking input from a navigation
device the system proportionally matches the sonar display (video
or printer) length with the over-the-ground speed of the survey
vessel. When combined with Slant Range Correction the sonar image
is a true representation in x and y ranges. Measurements of ranges
and objects can be made directly from the screen or of a print
out that has both of these corrections applied.
Target Mensuration - Scaling
of the physical dimensions and volume of an object from a sonar
record. With a sonar display or update rate matching tow speed
and taking into account the effect of slant range distortion,
very accurate dimensions of seabed objects are made from sonar
data.
A comma-delimited file is created to store information
on targets that are selected. Target position, size, and altitude
are some of the data stored. Also stored is a link to a jpeg file
containing the target image.
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