PING-Mapper

Overview

PING-Mapper is a Python interface for reading, processing, and mapping side scan sonar data from Humminbird® sonar systems. This release is the archived version of PING-Mapper v1.0.0 (6/1/2022) described in the companion manuscript:

Bodine, C. S., Buscombe, D., Best, R. J., Redner, J. A., & Kaeser, A. J. (2022). PING-Mapper: Open-source software for automated benthic imaging and mapping using recreation-grade sonar. Earth and Space Science, 9, e2022EA002469. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002469

Features

Decode Humminbird® Sonar Recordings PING-Mapper will automatically decode sonar recordings (***.DAT, ***.SON, ***.IDX files) from any Humminbird model (tested on 1197, 1198, 1199, Helix, Solix, Onix models).

Export Ping Attributes All associated ping attributes (latitude, longitude, heading, depth, etc.) are automatically exported to ***.CSV.

Export Sonograms Option to export non-georectified sonograms with the water column present (WCP) or with the water column removed (WCR) based on the Humminbird® sensor depth estimates and slant-range correction with a flat-bottom assumption.

Export Trackline A smoothed trackline is fit to raw GPS coordinates. New coordinates are re-interpolated along the smoothed trackline to ensure optimal sonar mosaics.

Export Sonar Mosaics Export georectified sonar mosaics as geotiff with the water column present (WCP; spatially inaccurate bed locations due to presence of water column) or water column removed (WCR; spatially accurate bed locations) for further analysis in any GIS.