Underwater systems for Tübitak

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Tübitak, has taken delivery of a 2000-DSS combined side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler system manufactured by EdgeTech, a leading US manufacturer of underwater sonar technology solutions.

The system, which was supplied by Denmark-headquartered MacArtney Underwater Technology, will be used on board Turkish multipurpose Research Vessel Tubitak Marmara carrying out studies of marine pollution, marine biology, and explorations of offshore oil fields, pipeline surveys, wrecks, UXO’s, etc.

The system combines EdgeTech’s highly successful line of side scan sonars and sub-bottom profilers into one fully integrated system. It comes complete with a combined towfish, digital telemetry that runs over a single coaxial cable up to 6,000 meters long and a topside processor running EdgeTech’s Discover acquisition software.

The R/V Tubitak Marmara is already equipped with two MacArtney CORMAC Q winches and a CTD solution with sensors for conductivity, temperature, depth, PAR, dissolved oxygen, pH and light transmission. By placing the recent order for a combined side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler system, Tübitak has wanted to take advantage of the properties which are characteristic of MacArtney’s launch and recovery systems. The systems are multifunctional which enables the scientists to use the winches both for towing their new product and for CTD-profiling.

According to Nick Lawrence, Director, International Business Development of EdgeTech, the prime object is for their side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler to be all-round useful:

“Much to our satisfaction MacArtney and EdgeTech have once again proved capable of supplying versatile high-tech equipment representing total-system capability and user-friendliness. This is important to research and exploration and facilitates the various operations going on in the Turkish waters.”