January 13, 2004
14:38
WSPC/101-CEJ
00092
D. M. Fitzgerald, G. A. Zarillo & S. Johnston
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images, whereas sand yields weaker images and mud even weaker images. Side scan
surveys are also performed adjacent to coastal structures such as rock jetties to
determine areas of possible undermining and assess their vulnerability to collapse.
These maps provide a clear picture of scour holes and can even image individual
boulders dismantled from the structure. These surveys are most beneficial when
done in conjunction with multibeam surveys.
One of the clearest means of identifying pathways of sediment movement through
inlets and determining net bedload sediment transport directions in tidal inlet chan-
nels is by monitoring large bedforms and mapping their orientation. Side scan sonar
mosaics can provide a detailed bedform map of the channel bottom and can be used
as a first order assessment of sand transport calculations based on hydraulic data.
An indication of.the usefulness of side scan technology is shown at the jettied en-
trance of Saco River Inlet (Fig. 9). The two images in Fig. 9 were taken in the same
area of the channel and demonstrate how the channel bottom responds to changing
flow conditions. Similar maps have been used at other inlet to monitor the migration
of large sandwaves into navigation channel (Fenster and FitzGerald, 1996).