Most people conduct a hydrographic survey with the help of a ship. The ship is fitted with a sonar which allows it to conduct a hydrographic survey. This helps to determine the physical features of a body of water. The body of water can either be small or large. Most bodies of water are small in size. Examples include lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. You need the right kind of technology in order to conduct a survey. The sonar is fitted to the bottom of the ship. The ship uses oil as its fuel. The fuel helps to power the ship. It also helps to make the ship functional. The sonar causes waves in the surface of the water. The waves bounce back from the surface of the water and are recorded by a certain device. This helps to map the ocean floor. This kind of mapping is very important for oil drilling. Commercial oil drilling would not be possible without the help of sonar technology. This is what makes it so critical to the fossil fuel industry. The fossil fuel industry would not be possible without the help of ships that allow us to map the ocean.

Purposes of hydrographic surveys

The purpose of a hydrographic survey is to inspect the floor of the body of water. Mapping the ocean is a science. It can be difficult to get everything right while doing something as complex as hydrographic survey. The word hydrographic literally means taking pictures of the water. Hydro means water while graphic means pictures. In a way, it does involve taking pictures of the water and whatever is underneath it. The floor of the ocean is littered with rocks and boulders. The depth of the ocean is uneven. The floor of the ocean is also called the seabed. The seabed is often composed of sand and rocks. It is made up of gypsum at some places. It is often deeper than first imagined.

Tools used for hydrographic surveys

Another reason for hydrographic surveys is to determine the depth of the ocean. The average depth of the ocean is three to four hundred feet. The ocean can be as deep as five to six hundred feet at some places. Hydrographic surveys help to determine the accurate depth of the sea. The water of the ocean is often brackish. The waves created by the sonar at the bottom of the ship are reflected back once they have an impact with the ocean floor. They allow us to assess the true depth of the water. Oil exploration is often done in shallow areas. The deepest points in the ocean are thousands of feet deep. Please visit www.hennig.com.au for more information.