Front Cover: 3D Backscatter image processed using SonarWiz 6 Chesapeake Technology, Inc. copyright Page 2

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2 Front Cover: 3D Backscatter image processed using SonarWiz 6 Chesapeake Technology, Inc. copyright Page 2

3 Table of Contents 1 Post-processing Sidescan Data Create New Project OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps Import Sidescan Files Bottom Tracking Signal Processing Apply layback or other navigation offsets Interpretation SS Contact Picking Feature Picking Generating Final Products Post-processing Sub-bottom Data Create New Project OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps Import Sub-bottom Files Bottom Tracking Signal Processing Apply layback or other navigation offsets Generate Intersections SBP Datum Align Sub-bottom Interpretation Options Acoustic Reflectors Annotation Contact Picking Bathymetry Post-processing Workflow Create New Project Configure Vessel Page 3

4 3.3 Load Tide Files Load Sound Velocity Files Load External Navigation Files Project Level Settings Import Bathymetry Files Tide and Sound Velocity Manager Merge Raw Bathymetry Display Navigation and Attitude Editor Filter Patch Test (Optional) Merge again Create First Bathymetry Grid Swath Editor D Area Editor Create Final Bathymetry Grid Process Backscatter Create Amplitude Grid Export Bathymetry and Amplitude Grids Export Amplitude (Backscatter) GeoTiffs Create 3D scene Magnetometry Post-Processing Workflow Create New Project Importing a Magnetometry Data File Editing an Imported Magnetometry File (CMF format) Mag Data Views - Raw, Smoothed, Ambient Identifying Anomalies Page 4

5 4.4 Adding Layback to a Mag Line Magnetometry Exports Mag-Anomaly Report Mag-Grid/Contour SHP File Export Magnetometry Support Generating Final SS, SBP, and MAG Products Save Project as GeoImage Save Mosaic as Tiles D Export for SSS or SBP Save Project as Web-site Google Earth Export Batch Image Export Use Feature Manager - Export Project Reports Tools->Grid and Contour Tools->Geodesy Utility Tools ->NavInjectorPro (NIP) Tools->File Utilities SonarWiz Real-Time Acquisition Workflow Create New Project OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps OPTIONAL: Set up the Helm Display, Auto-pilot OPTIONAL: Use the Line Manager for Route Planning OPTIONAL: Real-time Screen Layout Navigation Dialog Sonar Server - installing, and running it Recording Data Page 5

6 6.8.1 Sensor Recording options Downloading and Installing SonarWiz Downloading and Installing a Real-time Server Getting Support - Sending a Problem Report Sending Files in to Chesapeake Technology Renew Your EMA! Why? See 2016 HIGHLIGHTS! SonarWiz Hot-keys Section Page 6

7 1 Post-processing Sidescan Data 1.1 Create New Project 1. Set the project name, approximate position. 2. Accept or override the automatic coordinate system. 3. Override the default Time Constant for Course Smoothing (300) it desired. Acceptable values are 0 or Zero means NO smoothing (option available since ) 1.2 OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps. 1.3 Import Sidescan Files 1. Work with one file first to work out the correct import gain settings. 2. JSF Files: Use the File Type Specific Options button, select the JSF tab and start with these settings: Page 7

8 Try importing one file and then adjusting the TVG in db/100m to increase or decrease gain levels. 3. XTF and other files: Use the Threshold and Sniff option to view the histogram of your input files and to set the threshold values. 4. Consider using File Type specific options to provide additional gain or import processing settings. 5. Once you have the import settings the way you like them for the first file, select all of the other files and import them using the same settings. 1.4 Bottom Tracking 1. Right-click on a sidescan file and select the Bottom Track menu option. Page 8

9 2. Use the Track It button to automatically detect the seafloor. Use the threshold, duration and blanking settings to control the auto tracker. 3. Use the manual tracking tools to clean up the bottom track, if necessary (remove, insert) 1.5 Signal Processing Try EGN first: 1. Build the EGN table using all files in your project. 2. Click the Apply button, to see the effect. 3. Adjust the intensity slider controls, to brighten, or darken the image. Results - before EGN applied... Results after EGN has been applied... Page 9

10 Results after EGN + Nadir Filter 1.6 Apply layback or other navigation offsets. 1. Open the Sonar File Manager (F11) 2. Select the Layback Algorithm (LBK Algorithm) a. Cable Percent Page 10

11 Cable Out b. Cable Depth Sensor Cable Out Fish 1.7 Interpretation c. Select the percentage of cable out to apply (Layback) SS Contact Picking 1. Use contact editor to classify, measure, edit contact parameters. 2. Use Contact Manager::Filter option to select groups of contacts that match a certain criteria using GIS (SQL) syntax. 3. Use Report Generator to build a WORD, PowerPoint, Excel etc. document of the selected contacts. 4. Export contacts to GIS or CAD formats Feature Picking 1. Use mouse to annotate points, lines, circles or polygons that delineate areas of interest. 2. Use the Feature Manager to export to third party applications like GIS and CAD Generating Final Products See section 5 for export options common to SS / SBP and MAG data. 2 Post-processing Sub-bottom Data Page 11

12 2.1 Create New Project 1. Set the project name, approximate position. 2. Accept or override the automatic coordinate system. 3. Override the default Time Constant for Course Smoothing (300) it desired. Acceptable values are 0 or Zero means NO smoothing (option available since ) 2.2 OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps. 2.3 Import Sub-bottom Files 1. Many files can be imported directly. Choose the DATA POLARITY carefully - this is very important in SonarWiz versions 6.04 and later: The chart below summarizes DATA POLARITY choice recommended in SonarWiz 6.04 and later versions. These are the typical data types you will be able to import in SonarWiz for subbottom data, and their recommended settings: Page 12

13 2. File Type Specific Options provides additional control over how files are interpreted by SonarWiz 2.4 Bottom Tracking 1. Right-click on a sub-bottom file and select the Bottom Track menu option. 2. Use the Track It button to automatically detect the seafloor. Use the threshold, duration and blanking settings to control the auto tracker. 3. Use the manual tracking tools to clean up the bottom track, if necessary (remove, insert). 4. In difficult files, use the Track From Ping button to track forward or backward from a specified location in the file. 2.5 Signal Processing NOTE: You must do the bottom-tracking step above, first. 1. From the Appearance Tab Select Gain Settings Page 13

14 2. Try AGC first--usually settings of 20 for resolution and 20 for Intensity work well. 3. Use the Start at Detected Seafloor radio button to blank out the transmit pulse (water column area) of the display. 2.6 Apply layback or other navigation offsets. (see Section 1.6 for more information) 2.7 Generate Intersections Use Post-processing > Sub-Bottom > Intersections to open the Intersection Manager, then click the Compute button to generate the intersection points between all of the SBP lines in your project. 1. Right-click on intersections and select Quick View 3D to examine a few hundred pings from each line on either side of the intersection point in the CTI 3D Viewer. 2. Verify that the seabed and acoustic horizons line up on each segment, or make adjustments. Page 14

15 2.8 SBP Datum Align See the Datum Align reference PDF here: 5 Area ->Tech-Docs section Use this when you have a reference bathymetry surface or grid available: 1. To vertically align the seafloor in your SBP profiles with the bathymetry surface from a multi-beam echosounder, select the bathymetry grid file (most grid file formats will work) and align all of your SBP files. 2. After completing this step, re-export your SBP profiles to 3D viewer and verify that the SBP seabed now aligns with the multibeam bathymetry surface. 2.9 Sub-bottom Interpretation Options Acoustic Reflectors Annotation 1. New is to define a new reflector - to digitize using a series of left-clicks or mouse-drag, to annotate a visual sediment layer in the profile image. 2. Point density can be configured, when dragging mouse, using the Preferences->Digitized Features Options section. Page 15

16 3. Adding Fragments - To create another section of the same reflector, select the reflector in the Current Reflectors drop down and use the Add Fragment button. 4. Compute Thickness will generate a vector of X,Y,Thickness values between pairs of overlapping reflectors Contact Picking Users can generate contacts in SBP profiles just like in sidescan files. Reports are also available for SBP contacts. Page 16

17 3 Bathymetry Post-processing Workflow 3.1 Create New Project 1. Set the project name, approximate position. 2. Accept or override the automatic coordinate system. 3.2 Configure Vessel 1. Open the Vessel Editor and create a New Vessel or Import an Existing Vessel from another project 2. OPTIONAL: change the measurement unit of the vessel editor in Settings > Application Settings. (Default unit is Meters). 3. Give the vessel a name and select Surface or AUV platform shape 4. Configure the vessel shape and size. Locate the Vessel Reference Point (VRP) approximately on the vessel schematic and define the waterline relative to the VRP. 5. OPTIONAL: Import sensor offsets from All, S7K and HSX Files (File > Import Sensors) 6. Add New Sensors: Note: The offset coordinate system may differ from other software. For time latency, the value entered is added to the recorded time. All vessel offsets are defined relative to the VRP (vessel reference point), and we suggest defining at least these 3 sensors: Page 17

18 6.1 Swath Bathy Sensor 1. In dual-channel systems, channel 0 is port-facing and channel 1 is starboard-facing. 2. The transducer must be positioned below the waterline 3. Offset Rotations (roll, pitch, heading) are applied about the transducer position 4. The Patch Test Calibration (PTC) tool manipulates the transducer orientation values. 6.2 Position Sensor 1. Relative to the VRP, where are the latitude, longitude and height of the position source indicated? 2. Note that integrated positioning and inertial motion systems (e.g., Applanix POS M/V) usually output the position fix at the motion sensor rather than at the external GNSS antenna. 3. Roll, pitch and heading offsets are not applicable to a Position Sensor 6.3 Motion Sensor 1. Relative to the VRP, what is the rotation point about which the vessel attitude will be applied? Is this the same location as the Position Sensor? 2. Motion Sensor angular offsets are applied at the Motion Sensor position before vessel attitudes are applied. 3. Vessel attitude rotates about the Motion Sensor position. 4. Vessel attitude changes will induce lever-arm motion in the transducer and position systems if they are not colocated with the Motion Sensor. 3.3 Load Tide Files 1. The CTITideEditor can be used to convert tabular tide data into SonarWiz tide xml format. 2. Creating and saving a tide template in the Tide Editor will make it easy to import similar files in the future. Page 18

19 3. In order for SonarWiz to pick the nearest tide station, you must enter the position of the tide station. TIP: You can change the latitude and longitude data entry format in Tools > Settings. 4. Tide observations are assumed to be in meters above datum unless otherwise indicated. 5. It is a good idea to save your tide files within the SonarWiz Project Folder, so they will always be available if the project folder is moved. (e.g. in...<my project path>\tide folder) 3.4 Load Sound Velocity Files 1. The CTISoundVelocityEditor can be used to convert tabular sound velocity profile data into SonarWiz xml format. 2. Creating and saving a template in the CTISoundVelocityEditor will make it easy to import similar files in the future. 3. The editor has tools for picking out the down-cast from a complete record and for down-sampling the depth/velocity pairs. 4. NOTE: the performance of the merge operation is directly proportional to the number of layers in the sound velocity cast. We recommend using the minimum number of points necessary to define the velocity profile. 3.5 Load External Navigation Files 1. SonarWiz supports a number of external navigation formats including SBET trajectories. 2. External navigation can be used instead of the navigation data stored in Bathymetric Files 3. Be sure to update the position sensor location in the Vessel Editor if the external navigation fixes are valid at a different position on the boat than the internal data. 3.6 Project Level Settings Project-level settings are applied to all new bathymetry files. It is a good idea to set these up before importing and processing Page 19

20 bathymetry data. You can override these settings on a file-by-file basis if necessary. 1. Open the Settings dialog Bathymetry > Settings 2. Settings - Position Group NOTE: The platform position computation starts at the location of the Position Sensor configured in the Vessel Editor. 2.1 Check that the configured vessel is selected 2.2 (Optionally) If using external navigation files (e.g., SBET) select Position Source: External 3. Settings - Attitude 3.1 (Optional) If using external attitude files (e.g., SBET) select Attitude Source: External 3.2 Apply Roll, Apply Pitch and Apply Heading should be set to Yes 3.3 (Optionally) You can reverse the sign on attitude measurements for trouble-shooting. 4. Settings - Height Computation The elevation of a sounding is always reported relative to the survey datum. The survey datum is computed according to the settings in the Height Computation section. There are four standard survey datum: 1. Tides Only: Soundings are relative to the tidal datum. Be sure to define the waterline offset. 2. Pressure Only: (AUV & ROV) Soundings are relative to the water surface. 3. Tides + Pressure: (AUV & ROV) Soundings are relative to the tidal datum. 4. Antenna Heights: Soundings are relative to the GNSS datum. Position lever arm is computed, waterline and tides are ignored. After the sounding depths are computed above, SonarWiz can optionally add two additional vertical offsets to the depth values: Page 20

21 1. Vertical Datum Grid: The datum grid value will be looked up based on the position of the vessel on each ping. 2. User-entered Height: A static offset added to the soundings. 5. Settings - Sound Velocity Source 5.1 Chose the source for the surface sound velocity calculations. This value is used to calculate the launch angle of sound rays from the sonar. The best option is to use a real-time sound velocity record from a sensor mounted near the head (SV Sensor). 5.2 Chose the ray tracing method. Sound does not travel in a straight line in water. By providing a sound velocity profile, SonarWiz will model the true sound ray path through the water column based on measured sound velocity gradients. 6. Settings - Filters The default project filter settings will be applied to all bathymetry files during merge. Unless the data set is unusually noisy or excessive to the point of slowing the program down, it is best to turn most of the filters off initially. You can selectively turn them on later if you need them. 6.1 Filters Reset Filter Flags Once a sounding has been flagged it will no longer be used for bathymetry and amplitude computations or visualizations. The reset filter flags option will clear flagged samples by flag class during subsequent merger or filter operations. 6.2 Filters - Channel Filter Turn on or off, particular channels for processing. SonarWiz assigns channel 0 to all single channel systems and port- Page 21

22 facing transducers in dual-head systems. Channel 1 is reserved for starboard-facing transducers in dual-head systems. 6.3 Filters - Manufacturer Flag Filter If enabled, honor flagging done by acquisition software. (Recommended) 6.4 Filters - Amplitude Filter If enabled, calculates the mean sample amplitude of each ping and flags all samples that fall below the specified ratio of the mean. 6.5 Filters - Range Filter If enabled, flags all soundings closer to the transducer than Filter Near Range, and flags all sounding beyond Filter Far Range Page 22

23 6.6 Filters - Cutoff Angle Filter If enabled, flags all soundings between the Inner Minimum Cutoff Angle and the Inner Maximum Cutoff Angle. Also, flags all soundings beyond the Outer Minimum Cutoff Angle and beyond the Outer Maximum Cutoff Angle Page 23

24 6.7 Filters - Sample Density Filter If enabled, divides the swath cross-section into bins. Flags all soundings in bins that do not have the minimum number of samples in them. Equidistant bins are defined by horizontal and vertical bin size; equiangular bins are defined by angle and range. Page 24

25 Sample Density Filter - Equidistant Bins: Sample Density Filter - Equiangular Bins: Page 25

26 6.8 Filters - Static Box Filter If enabled, flags soundings that fall outside the defined box based on minimum and maximum depth and minimum and maximum horizontal. 6.9 Filters - Dynamic Box Filter The Dynamic Box Filter is similar to the Static Box Filter, except that box is centered on the mean depth of the ping and the width and height of the box are defined as multiples of the water depth. Page 26

27 6.10 Along-Track Filter If enabled, divides the ping cross-section into horizontal bins. For each bin, it calculates the mean depth. Points which fall beyond the threshold distance from the mean depth are flagged. The bins in the along-track filter are updated over multiple pings with greater weight placed on the most recent pings. Page 27

28 3.7 Import Bathymetry Files We recommend initially importing just a single file. Check that the file imported correctly and then go back to load the rest of the dataset. 1. Open the Import dialog using Post Processing Tab > Import. 2. Check that the Import Geodesy matches your recorded data. 3. Click the File Type Specific Options and adjust the import options for your file type appropriately. NOTE: SonarWiz has a handy set of file utilities in the Tools menu. You can inspect the number and type of packets stored in your file which can help with the File Type Specific Options settings.. Page 28

29 3.8 Tide and Sound Velocity Manager Use the Bathymetry > Tide and Sound Velocity Manager to assign the appropriate tide and sound velocity profile to each line. Selecting Auto Tides or Auto SV (sound velocity) will try to assign the appropriate tide and/or velocity profile based on time or distance as indicated. 3.9 Merge Merging combines the raw sonar data with auxiliary attitude and navigation information to create bathymetric soundings. You cannot display or otherwise work with bathymetry without first merging the data sets. 1. Open the Bathymetry > Merge Dialog 2. Select the lines to merge 3. Adjust the Auxiliary Data Selection settings to override the default values if necessary Note that the Downsample filter found in the merge settings dialog removes data from further processing. It is recommended for sonars that produce excessively high-volume output. 4. Pick an error model to calculate sounding uncertainty values. You have 4 options: Page 29

30 4.1 No Error Model - sounding uncertainty will be set to zero 4.2 Sonar Provided Model - SonarWiz will use the uncertainty values stored in the bathymetry file (not all sonars provide uncertainty) 4.3 Simple IHO Model - Assume the sounding uncertainty just barely meets the specified IHO Survey Order specifications 4.4 Full Error Model - Do a total propagated uncertainty calculation to estimate the sounding uncertainty based on the known location and performance of equipment installed on the platform. 5. Filter Settings Override the preset filter settings for the group of files being merged Raw Bathymetry Display 1. Display raw bathymetry by opening the Color Window from the Map Tool Bar. 2. Select Bathymetry from the DataType drop down 3. Adjust the minimum and maximum display value according to the data histogram in the color bar. You can use your mouse Page 30

31 to slide the handles on the histogram or manually enter a mapping range in the text boxes provided. 4. Pick a suitable color palette for the data. Page 31

32 3.11 Navigation and Attitude Editor After merging, the navigation and attitude editor should be used to ensure that there are no spikes or deviations in the navigation. If edits are made, the affected lines should be re-merged. TIP: Use the Navigation and Attitude Editor to low-pass filter antenna heights, which can then be used during merge operations to form a dynamic tide Filter After merging, lines can be re-filtered as desired by opening the Bathymetry > Filter dialog (filters have already been described). It is faster to filter here, outside of the merge process, since fewer computations are required. We recommend turning on the filters one-at-a-time in the following order: 1. Reset Filter Flags (To start over from scratch, clear all flag groups) 2. Manufacturer s Flags (remove anything the acquisition software flagged) Page 32

33 3. Static Box Filter 4. Dynamic Box Filter 5. (Optional) Amplitude Filter 6. (Optional) Range Filter 7. (Optional) Sample Density Filter 8. (Optional) Along-Track Filter Do not over-filter the data. Focus on obvious blunders and strong systematic artifacts Patch Test SonarWiz Patch Test Calibration Tool (PTC) is a general purpose program used to solve for biases in roll, pitch, heading and the time difference between the sonar and position clocks. Both single and dual-channel systems are supported. We recommend following the sonar manufacturer s procedure if available. Otherwise, solve for (1) timing offsets first, then (2) pitch offsets, then (3) heading bias and then (4) roll, in that order. The PTC works similarly for all calibration tests. 1. Turn on the data sets needed for the calibration test in the SonarWiz project explorer. 2. Select a polygon on the seafloor over the data in the target area 3. In the PTC, orient the 3D grid in the GridViewWindow pane so that you can clearly see the target patch test area 4. Hold down the SHIFT+Left mouse button to draw a profile across the target on the 3D grid view 5. Select the calibration type from the Calibration control drop down. Note that each channel of a dual channel system can be calibrated independently. 6. Set the minimum and maximum angle and the calibration step size. 7. Use the manual slider to adjust the bias value. The Cross-section profile will update to reflect the changes you have made. Page 33

34 8. (Optionally) Use the Recalculate button to automatically test each angle between the minimum and maximum value and pick the value which minimizes the difference between the overlapping tracklines. 9. Once satisfied with the bias results click Save to Vessel in the tool bar to save the new angular offset to the Vessel. 10. Repeat calibrations steps D through I for each calibration test (Optional) Merge again If changes were made to the Navigation or attitude in the Navigation and Attitude Editor or changes were made to the Vessel in the PTC, you should re-merge your data now so that all sonar files reflect the changes Create First Bathymetry Grid To better visualize the quality of the bathymetry, create a rough-draft grid of the data at this time. 1. Zoom the main SonarWiz window to the extents of your data (Ctrl+F) 2. Right-click the Grids branch in the SonarWiz Project Explorer and select Create New Grid 3. Set an appropriate Grid Cell Size for the area (1m) 4. Assign an Output Grid File Root name (test) 5. Select Primary Grid Surface: Depth 6. Select Grid Algorithm: Cube 7. (optionally) Select Optional Grid Outputs such as: Uncertainty, Hypothesis Count and Hypothesis Strength Inspect the resulting grids for blunders in Vessel configuration, Tides, incorrect Sound Velocity artifacts, improper filter settings (too much filtering, not enough filtering). Correct the errors and repeat the steps up to this point. Finally, identify areas in the grid that will require manual editing Swath Editor The swath editor is useful for manually editing one track line at a time. You can edit in a variety of 2D and 3D cross-sections. Page 34

35 1. Select a trackline to edit 2. Select Bathymetry > Swath Editor 3. Configure the Swath Editor: 3.1 Turn on the Sidebar to see configuration options 3.2 The available survey lines are shown at the top of the sidebar. Select a new survey line by clicking on the name 3.3 The General Section controls the display of points in the editor 3.4 The Colors section allows you to change the color map of points including changing the color attributes from bathymetry (default) to amplitude 3.5 The General Section Sweep length (pings) setting controls how much of the track line is shown in one page. Page through the file using page up, page down, the Space Bar or the mouse scroll wheel 3.6 Open a 3D view of the data by clicking the 3D button on the ribbon interface. Additional shortcut keys are available by press the H key Page 35

36 3.17 2D Area Editor The Area Editor is useful for manually editing trouble spots in the data that cross multiple track lines. It is also very good at editing around submerged targets with complex geometry. The Area editor works with both the raw point cloud data and grid surfaces derived from the point cloud. 1. Open the Area Editor. You can open the area editor in two ways: 1.1 Right-click a grid in the Project Explorer and Select Grid Editor. In this mode, the grid itself can be edited in addition to the underlying bathymetric soundings. Or Select the Bathymetry > Area Editor Icon and draw a polygon around an area to edit. This will generate a temporary grid in the selection polygon, and the editor will automatically go to selection editor mode where you can edit the soundings immediately. 2. If the editor was opened with a grid, draw a selection box to edit by holding down SHIFT+Left click on the mouse to draw a small selection box. You can move the box by right-clicking the box with the mouse (or SHIFT+ARROW keys) and rotate the box by CTRL+left clicking one of the corner anchors of the box. Hit ENTER to open the selection editor mode. Page 36

37 3. Once in Selection Editor Mode, the Subset Manager sidebar controls the display of points similar to the Swath Editor. 4. Filter and manually edit the soundings in the subset windows and click Update Grid in the ribbon to see the results of the edit on the grid surface. 5. Close the Subset editor mode by clicking the Clear icon in the ribbon or you can move the selection box in the Grid View and hit Enter to open a new selection of points. 6. Sometimes it is useful to work on the grid directly, rather than the point cloud. You can switch to the Grid Editing tab and edit the grid manually, removing spikes and interpolating gaps. The clean grid can then be used with the Grid Surface filter to quickly flag soundings that are far from the edited grid surface. Page 37

38 Gridding Algorithms Explained 1. Blend Grid values are the weighted sum of overlapping values. Values on the edge of swaths are weighted less than values towards the center of the swath. Good for hiding small mismatches between track lines. 2. CUBE Use Combined Uncertainty Bathymetry Estimator algorithm to produce the most likely depth surface. Requires TPU computations on soundings. 3. Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) Grid values are the weighted mean of nearby values. Good for filling small data gaps between measurements. 4. Mean Grid values are the arithmetic mean of all samples which fell in the cell. Lowest memory requirements. Good for largest data sets. 5. Median Grid values are the median of all samples which fell in the cell. Robust against outlying measurements, but requires the entire data set to be held in memory before gridding. 6. Natural Neighbor Grid values are the weighted mean of the closest values surrounding the cell irrespective of distance. Excellent for gridding single-beam depths (and similar) into a smooth continuous surface. 7. Nearest Range Value is the mean of all samples from the nearest track line only (no blending of track line data). Good for backscatter target identification. 8. Nearest Neighbor Sample positioned closest to the center of the cell is picked. This should be used to import previously gridded data exported in XYZ format. 9. Preferred Angle Weighted Grid value is the weighted mean of all soundings close to the preferred insonification angle. Use this algorithm if you want all the acoustic shadows to be on the same side of objects. 10. Trimmed Mean Computes the arithmetic mean of all values except the extreme ends of the distribution. This is an alternative to the median which is also robust against outliers. Entire data set is held in memory. Page 38

39 3.18 Create Final Bathymetry Grid Now that the bathymetry has been calibrated, filtered and manually edited, create the final bathymetric grid. (see Box above for algorithm recommendations) 3.19 Process Backscatter 1. Switch the Drawing Mode to Backscatter by opening the Color Window and changing the Datatype drop down to Backscatter. (See Section 3.10 for details). 2. By default, SonarWiz will display the raw backscatter values as recorded in the Sonar file. 3. To normalize the backscatter and remove across-track artifacts - Select Bathymetry > Process Backscatter. 4. Check ALL lines you want to normalize (the more data examined, the better the normalization process works) 5. Use the default settings to start. You may need to adjust the Nadir angle or use AGC after examining the results Page 39

40 3.20 Create Amplitude Grid 1. Turn on the data sets you want to include in the Amplitude grid in the SonarWiz project explorer 2. Right-click the Grids branch of the Project Explorer and select Create New Grid 3. Select the Primary Grid Surface: Amplitude 4. Select the Grid Algorithm (see above for explanation of the gridding algorithms) 3.21 Export Bathymetry and Amplitude Grids Right click a grid in the Project Explorer and select Export Grid Export Amplitude (Backscatter) GeoTiffs 1. Arrange the SonarWiz main display window with the either the raw amplitude data or the gridded amplitude value displayed 2. Select Post Processing > Export > Save Project as GeoImage 3.23 Create 3D scene Right click a bathymetric grid in the Project Explorer and select Open in 3D Viewer. 4 Magnetometry Post-Processing Workflow 4.1 Create New Project 1. Set the project name, approximate position. 2. Accept or override the automatic coordinate system. 3. OR - use an existing project where magnetometry survey was conducted in the SAME LOCATION as the sonar survey. 4.2 Importing a Magnetometry Data File SonarWiz can import and post-process your mag data no matter how it was recorded. Your magnetometry files was recorded one of 3 ways: Page 40

41 1. As an independent file, recorded by vendor software, e.g. a MagLog unit recording a text-file 2. As an independent file, recorded by SonarWiz, using a COM port or UDP port (any real-time sonar add-in license for SonarWiz gives you the free benefit of recording mag data too) 3. Or as embedded mag data recorded inside your sonar line as a mag channel - e.g. in an XTF file or JSF file. In the mag import dialog, you specify a file-format template name, or specify to extract an embedded channel from the imported sonar data (CSF file mag extraction). The magnetometry post-processing reference is important to use: PDF to see the import-format options, and decide if yours meets an existing format (yay!), or if you need help from support@chesapeaketech.com to define a new template just for your mag data. If there's any doubt - contact us and we will help. When you import, decide if you want to down-sample your data to 1Hz (requires date/time in the data, and may help avoid exceeding memory limits. Typically a mag import works excellent if it imports to 12,500 records or so per file, as a maximum. 4.3 Editing an Imported Magnetometry File (CMF format) Right-click on your imported mag data file in the Project Explorer to select it, then click EDIT to view it in the Mag Editor: Page 41

42 Mag Data Views - Raw, Smoothed, Ambient Mag data displays with 3 color traces, so you can see the volatile raw data, the smoothed data, and the ambient (background) level of mag data. Page 42

43 4.3.2 Identifying Anomalies Auto-detection of Anomalies To auto-detect anomalies (significant differences between raw and ambient), set a threshold value (1) then click auto-detect (2): Manual Definition of Anomalies Or just manually identify each anomaly, by clicking Add Anomaly, then the mag data line at the point (red arrow) of the anomaly: : Page 43

44 Then you may adjust the width of the rectangle area defining the anomaly, and characterize it as monopole or dipole. 4.4 Adding Layback to a Mag Line 4.5 Magnetometry Exports Mag-Anomaly Report This is how to direct your divers for deeper investigation of where suspected ferrous objects were found on or below the seafloor: A list of positions and anomaly magnitude in a handy EXCEL report format: Page 44

45 4.5.2 Mag-Grid/Contour SHP File Export Grid/Contour can export your mag amplitude SHP file at a gridresolution of your choice, and this alone can give you an excellent idea of the spatial view of your mag detection in the map, on an overlay color of your choice (red here): Page 45

46 4.6 Magnetometry Support Mag data is special, easy to configure (e.g. many mag-vendors provide recording options to allow fields-definition users), and varied! Please contact us at to help you in any mag import situation if the data does not come in right. Chances are good that we can adjust an existing format template, or create a new one, just for you. Page 46

47 5 Generating Final SS, SBP, and MAG Products Here's how to use Exports and Tools to support final product generation for both SS, SBP, and in some cases (e.g. grid/contour), MAG data Save Project as GeoImage GeoTiff export, for example: 1. Use 24 or 32-bit color for best results. 2. Set resolution in units/pixel. 3. Consider using the crop to feature option Save Mosaic as Tiles Good for saving long pipeline or cable route surveys where image size is a concern D Export for SSS or SBP 1. Great for visualization but even better for final reports. 2. Use the CTI3D Viewer->Tools->Export Scene as Report to generate interactive 3D PDF s of your SSS or SBP data (e.g. grid/contour isopach SHP overlay over SS TIF export) Save Project as Web-site 1. Useful for saving mosaic, sidescan waterfalls, SBP profiles and contact reports is portable format. 2. Use the Google Maps style --it looks nicer. 3. Useful output to give to client rep during survey activity, for daily status reporting. They can see your results without a SonarWiz license key needed. 4. It s all local on hard drive (NOT) on the Internet, unless you actively put it there Google Earth Export Once you have a GeoTiff you can generate a KML and view it on Google Earth with 2 clicks Batch Image Export This is good when you need individual SSS lines generated as waterfall images, or SBP lines generated in profile view: Page 47

48 SS waterfall export: SBP profile export: Page 48

49 5.1.7 Use Feature Manager - Export For SBP data, this button will generate output files of reflector XYZ and other file types. The Export tool allows you to group reflectors of the same type into one file, or you can generate a separate file for each reflector type Project Reports This is a collection of useful spreadsheets describing what was done. 1. Coverage Report--shows the square units of area covered on a line by line basis and also how densely the area was mapped. 2. Project Summary--a useful meta-data report showing all files, how they were processed and statistical information on them. 5.2 Tools->Grid and Contour This quick and handy gridder can export data from your bottomtracked SSS or SBP file files (e.g. altitude+sensor-depth) or MAG data (see example in section above), and allow you to generate a quick set of contours and grids exports, e.g. SHP files, which can be used as map overlays. SS altitude+sensor-depth contour lines SHP overlay on SS mosaic: You can also use external XYZ format data to make the SHP/GRD file pair. Page 49

50 5.3 Tools->Geodesy Utility This is a great little tool for not only creating new coordinate systems, datums and ellipsoids but also as a general purpose coordinate conversion utility, for any type of project. 5.4 Tools ->NavInjectorPro (NIP) This utility can repair all sorts of problems with raw data. NIP can inject navigation, sensor depth, event numbers and much more into CSF, XTF, SEGY, JSF, SDF and SonarWiz bathymetry projects. See a complete description under the HELP button of NIP - which opens the NavInjectorPro.PDF, located in the DOCS folder of your SonarWiz Program Files folder Tools->File Utilities This powerful set of file analysis tools lets you get down and dirty with your native data. CSV export of the numeric data in binary files lets you see into CSF, JSF, SEG, XTF and more file formats, convert from one file format to another, aggregate files, and more. Page 50

51 6 SonarWiz Real-Time Acquisition Workflow Data Acquisition with SonarWiz has benefits like real-time mosaic view of the data, real-time contact-capture, and free mag data acquisition with ANY sonar acquisition license. Here we explain the common set-up steps for acquiring SS, SBP, bathy, or MAG data. 6.1 Create New Project 1. Set the project name, approximate position. 2. Accept or override the automatic coordinate system. Yes, even to record data, you start by telling SonarWiz about the project location, coordinate system, and get SonarWiz to set up the basic project folders, so that the recorded data will have a target folder (SS, Bathy->XTF, SB -> SBP, or mag data ->MAG) in the project, where it will be stored, in your particular project. If you have any real-time sensor licensed with your SonarWiz license key, you will have full access to all the functions under Data Acquisition tab in the GUI (only some shown here) 6.2 OPTIONAL: Load base maps and overlay maps. Do this if you want to see your real-time SS or bathymetry mosaics presented over a nautical chart basemap. 6.3 OPTIONAL: Set up the Helm Display, Auto-pilot A fundamental benefit of ANY real-time license with SonarWiz, are some basic options like the remote HELM DISPLAY on a separate PC, or auto-pilot output controls. HELM DISPLAY simply means choosing to broadcast navigation data to a ship network capable of Page 51

52 transmitting UDP packets within the same sub-net as the acquisition PC. The HELM DISPLAY supports survey lines, basemaps, numeric display and L/R steering indicators, and requires no SonarWiz license key to run: Page 52

53 Auto-pilot options are selected under OUTPUTS, where you specify your autopilot datagram format: Please man the helm though, and don't expect the autopilot to avoid obstacles! :D 6.4 OPTIONAL: Use the Line Manager for Route Planning Line Manager can quickly help you set up an organized survey plan, supporting line definition and cloning for a line set: Page 53

54 Once defined, you can "follow" a survey line, and export that route to the autopilot as you go. 6.5 OPTIONAL: Real-time Screen Layout It makes a lot of sense to use the LAYOUT MANAGER to save a post-processing screen layout, and a special real-time acquisition layout. Here are some options for your real-time GUI, chosen from View->Data Acquisition: You choose a display option, and dock it into your GUI. TowFish altitude is great for a towed sensor, to help avoid hitting bottom. L/R steering indicator has visual or audio alarms to really help you steer a survey line accurately. Waterfall displays show the SS or SB data as it records, and SensorGraphs does the same for MAG data. Another helpful real-time display option is the SS real-time mosaiccontrolled here: Page 54

55 6.6 Navigation Dialog While your bathy data may include navigation sent in via an MRU, for SS/SB/MAG recording in SonarWiz, your best practice is to record navigation at the time of the survey, right into the sonar or mag data file. To do that, just define and activate the incoming navigation data stream, to COM or UDP port. There are MANY formats to select among, to get your position and heading data into SonarWiz: NMEA-0183 sentence formats are supported by almost every GPS unit you can buy. Page 55

56 The primary choices are COM port vs. UDP port, sentence format, and whether you want towfish-position computed and saved in realtime, to record separate ship (GPS) and towfish positions into your file. 6.7 Sonar Server - installing, and running it Sonar servers are separate executables downloaded from in the **SonarWiz servers area. Download and install the one licensed for your key. You select to run it by clicking on Data Acquisition > Sonar to see this dialog: Page 56

57 The each separate executable server appears on your PC desktop with its own control GUI: Page 57

58 See the SonarWiz GUI Help->User Manual buttons, to open the User Guide PDF, and find section 8, to read the specific instructions for your real-time server. For the Edgetech 3xxx SB server, see the PDF which opens, in section 2.5: Page 58

59 The SonarWiz_Real-time_Servers.PDF is in the DOCS sub-folder of your SonarWiz Program Files folder. You can open it directly. 6.8 Recording Data Once you have sonar and navigation data streaming into SonarWiz, click RECORD or QUICKRECORD to start saving your data to a file. Page 59

60 Then click QUICKRECORD to start a new line, or STOP to stop recording, then import and review your data. SS and bathymetry data saves in XTF format to the SSS folder, SB data saves in SEG format to the SBP folder, and your recorded MAG data has format options as a text format, and is saved to the MAG folder, of your current project Sensor Recording options SonarWiz can record SS and SB data both at the same time, as well as other sensor types, such as fathometer, magnetometer, heave (motion) sensor, and a cable-payout meter. Bathymetry acquisition is the latest acquisition feature SonarWiz supports, and will typically record a motion-sensor (MRU) and sonar sensor simultaneously, bringing in 3 types of sonar data simultaneously: 1. SS, 2. bathymetry, and 3. backscatter (e.g. Edgetech 6205 sensor). Page 60

61 7 Downloading and Installing SonarWiz (Requires a current Extended Maintenance Agreement (EMA) on at least one of your license keys) 1. Use your customer login to TIP: Your login is good FOREVER, and allows access to the Evaluations area of all the reference documents and downloads, even if your EMA has expired. 2. Select the top left-side dark-blue link for **SonarWiz 3. Select the SonarWiz version (32-bit or 64-bit) you want to download 4. After download, click on it to install it Page 61

62 8 Downloading and Installing a Real-time Server 1. Use your customer login to 2. Select the top left-side dark-blue link for **SonarWiz servers 3. Select the server you want to download (scroll to find) 4. After download, store it in a personal folder, then click on it to install it. Since August, 2016, all the real-time servers auto-detect an installation of SonarWiz, and install to the SERVERS folder of your installed SonarWiz version (e.g. 32-bit or 64-bit). 5. If you open the Sonar dialog and do not see your server listed, though it is licensed on your license key, chances are you just need to reinstall the server, but select the DESTINATION FOLDER appropriate for your version of SonarWiz. You can install all 3 of these versions below on the same PC, because they install to separate folders (but run one at a time): SonarWiz 5 by default installs here: C:\Program Files (x86)\chesapeake Technology, Inc\SonarWiz5 SonarWiz 6 32-bit (x86) version by default installs here: C:\Program Files (x86)\chesapeake Technology, Inc\SonarWiz6 SonarWiz 6 64-bit version by default installs here: C:\Program Files\Chesapeake Technology, Inc\SonarWiz6 Page 62

63 9 Getting Support - Sending a Problem Report Log in to and click on REPORT A BUG or REQUEST A CHANGE This will send an to support@chesapeaketech.com with the following information you will fill out in the form: We can typically get back to you with a same-day response! Page 63

64 10 Sending Files in to Chesapeake Technology When we respond to your Problem Report, we will assign a ticket code like PL6933 to your issue. It is helpful to use this ticket code in the or file-transfer you initiate to send us files! Here are 3 options for sending us files: 1. Send small files, such as the project MML file, as an attachment; 2. For larger files, please use our BOX.com UPLINK, shown below. Send us files up to 2GB in size per file, by making a connection to our BOX.com drop-box here: 3. Or login in to and click on "Send Files to CTI" Page 64

65 11 Renew Your EMA! Why? See 2016 HIGHLIGHTS! License keys will run the version of SonarWiz you first bought, forever. But after a year, with SonarWiz releases (fixes, enhancements) rolling out EVERY 2 WEEKS(!!), you may want to renew your EMA (just navigate to and select Support -> EMA renewal) to be able to run newer versions for the next year. Here are SOME of the best new features added to SonarWiz in 2016, since our previous 2015 Annual Workshop: Full 64-bit version option - Awesome improvements in direct RAM access by SonarWiz for RAM beyond the 32-bit 4GB access limitation! All you need is a 4GB (or more) 64-bit PC and OS and you can install and use this at no extra charge. Bathymetry / Sidescan / External XYZ data set GRIDDING - Bathymetry license expanded the variety of algorithms available for gridding. Try Inverse Distance Weighted, Natural Neighbor, Nearest Neighbor, and more. Bring in ANY format grid to use in SonarWiz now too (we convert it to SURFER6 format for use) You can now grid your CSF sidescan amplitude data as well, and compute grid-surface of grid-grid differences for dredging volume planning.. Sub-Bottom IMPORT POLARITY and DISPLAY - We made major changes in the way you import and view sub-bottom data in 2016, to support data polarity import and palette choice. A companion DYK video helps explain this new feature: COLOR WINDOW / histogram - Completed in release in October, this new GUI tool supports incredibly easier sidescan and sub-bottom import and color-mapping of data amplitude ranges to palette. You have to try it to believe it. Page 65

66 SS Nadir filter - This recent sidescan post-processing option can blend your sidescan nadir almost seamlessly with the rest of across-track data. It visually blends mosaics better than ever. File Properties PEEK - The newest enhancement is a way to make ALL file import easier, by supporting a file PROPERTIES view (and explanations of why a particular file might NOT import): So many new features! We often profile them too, in a "Did You Know?" series of videos. Find out what's new, and get into the CTI YouTube channel, here: Page 66

67 12 SonarWiz Hot-keys Section 2 Zoom the plan view to the selected file Undo (where available) Open user guide as PDF file Open project setup window Open existing SonarWiz project Open sonar file manager window Open survey line manager window * Configure sonar layback settings * Stop recording * Start recording * Add event mark while recording * Open the digitized feature manager window Open the contact manager window Capture the plan view window to the clipboard Toggle the auto ship centering mode * Copy selected survey lines to clipboard * Paste clipboard survey lines to plan view * Zoom in by 10 percent Zoom out by 10 percent Open the map corrections window Set the plan view cursor in swipe mode Cut selected survey lines to clipboard * Redo (where available) Undo (where available) Set the plan view cursor in rectangle zoom mode * = Data Acquisition ONLY Z ALT+BACK F1 F10 CTRL+F10 F11 F12 F2 F4 F5 F7 F8 SHIFT+F8 F9 CTRL+HOME CTRL+INSERT SHIFT+INSERT NEXT PRIOR CTRL+SPACE SHIFT+CTRL+W CTRL+X CTRL+Y CTRL+Z SHIFT+Z Page 67

68 SonarWiz Does It All! Page 68