Science and Technology for Canadians

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Summary

In September 1998, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) used multi-beam sounding technology to survey, locate and map the crash site and surrounding areas of Swiss Air flight 111. This technology is ideal for many ocean science activities so was well suited to facilitate the recovery effort. Canadian research, computer software and expertise allowed us to quickly produce accurate, high-resolution imagery which was then incorporated in geo-referenced 3D maps of the seafloor.

Transcript of Video

Female Voice Over
You might not know it by looking at her, but the "Anne S. Pierce" is one of a select few. Her sophisticated sonar readings can be used to make, among other things, detailed 3D maps of the sea bottom. Sonar's been around since the First World War, but the technology onboard the Pierce is hundreds of times more powerful than early sonar systems. It's the same system as the one that was used to make this recording of the wreck of Swiss Air Flight 111 off the Nova Scotia coast near Peggy's Cove.

Mike Lamplugh
Well, the advances in ocean mapping have been tremendously exciting in the late 80's and throughout the 90's. We now have the capability of ensonifying a swath underneath the vessel. So instead of getting one signal from beneath the vessel, we can get up to 120 - 200 simultaneous readings - in other words, we can actually ensonify an area seven times the water depth.

Female VO
To ensonify the ocean floor, acoustic signals are beamed to the bottom. How long it takes the signal to return indicates how deep the water is at that point. Instead of just one depth sounding at a time, the multi-beam scanner sounds a swath, literally hundreds of simultaneous readings. The guts of the scanner are located in the bowels of the ship. The transducer is lowered into the water beneath the hull. It beams acoustic signals out and reads the signals coming back. The collected information is processed by computers which display the readings as they come in. When Swiss Air flight 111 crashed in 1998, a multi beam scanner was on site within 24 hours.

Mike Lamplugh
That happened on the 2nd of September, and within 24 hours the DFO vessel the "Matthew" was out on site and we were using our multi-beam capability to map the area searching for the wreck of the airplane - the remains. And we were doing that in conjunction with the Geological Surveys of Canada, we had expertise from the UNB Ocean Mapping Group, and we had private industry aboard. And this collaborative... collaborative effort on a coast guard vessel under the direction of the Department of National Defense produced a full composite image of the entire area surrounding the wreck within 10 days. This information was invaluable to the divers and the recovery effort that then ensued.

Female VO
Multi-beam scanning technology produces accurate, high resolution images quickly, which makes it ideal for research and recovery. With additional computer processing, high res accuracy shows it's colourful side in 3D. And it's practical too. Using the multi-beam scanner scientists can see what the bottom is made of and can identify potential resources. Unlike on land, we've done very little topographical mapping of our seafloors. So for the most part, we really don't know what's down there.

Mike Lamplugh
For future generations, a good understanding of what is on the ocean floor, the nature of it, the shape of it, what resources are there, and what potential there could be, I think is critical.

Earth Tones is produced in co-operation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.