On March 10, 2025, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary researcher Andi Yoxsimer gave a talk about multibeam sonar to a group of seventh and eighth grade students at the Immanuel Lutheran School in Alpena, MI. The students are currently completing a unit about deep sea exploration and wanted to learn more about the technologies utilized by scientists to study the ocean. This lecture described the components of sonar systems, the mathematical theory used to calculate water depths using sound, and discussed the multiple factors that can alter how sound moves through the water column. The students were interested to learn about the sonar systems and asked great questions about daily survey operations.
She also showed images of multibeam data and discussed its importance for various interested stakeholders. The students were curious to learn more about how nautical charts are made using multibeam data and enjoyed seeing multibeam images of shipwrecks and underwater features.
This summer sanctuary staff, along with researchers from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), are beginning an ambitious project to map the entirety of sanctuary waters using multibeam sonar. Identifying new shipwrecks, aiding in the development of more accurate nautical charts, and providing vital habitat data for researchers are just a few of the benefits associated with this project. Updates of the project’s progress will be available throughout the 2025 field season so follow along to learn more!
