Evaluation of alternative bathymetry data sources for MAREANO: A comparison of Olex bathymetry and multibeam data for substrate and biotope mapping

Abstract

The MAREANO (Marine AREA database for NOrwegian waters) seabed mapping programme generates a wide range of products, including sediment and benthic biotope maps. Production of these maps relies heavily on full-coverage multibeam data (bathymetry and backscatter) which have revealed the seabed in unprecedented detail, and which form the basis for geological interpretations and the identification of seabed terrain of ecological relevance. The acquisition of multibeam data represents a significant proportion of the total annual MAREANO budget, and efforts to reduce this cost will help to maximize the cost-effectiveness of MAREANO in the future.