High Resolution Bathymetry of the Eastern Slope of the Porcupine Seabight
In general, bathymetry is widely used to get information about the shape of the sea floor. It serves as base for different scientific activities due to its homogenous point distribution and the detailed view of the investigated area. Additional information can be received from recorded backscatter and multibeam sidescan data.The topography of the eastern margin of the Porcupine Seabight was surveyed utilizing swath bathymetry in June 2000. The survey was carried out during "Polarstern" cruise ANT XVII/4 as part of the GEOMOUND project. The main objective was to map and investigate the seafloor topography of that region. The investigation area contains a variability of morphological features such as deep sea channels and giant mounds. The survey was planned and realized on the basis of existing data to ensure the complete coverage of the margin. In order to achieve a resolution of the final digital terrain model (DTM) that meets the project demands, data processing was adjusted accordingly. The grid spacing of the DTM was set to 50 m and an accuracy better than 1 % of the water depth could be achieved for 96 % of the soundings.