M/V Wave
M/V Wave

Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages that are used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements for a specific water depth depending on the researcher's needs.

The Multibeam Echo Sounder System (MBES) is an active sonar system that collects bathymetric measurements. MBES operates by transmitting a sound pulse and detecting objects in the water by the returning echoes. It measures the time and angle of each return to create a high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) surface model of the seafloor. High-frequency systems (100-1000 kHz) are typically used in shallow waters and can operate in waters as shallow as 1 m. Lower-frequency systems (10-70K kHz) can operate in deeper water depths (>10km deep) and can be installed on large research vessels.