Echo sounding is a process used to determine the depth of water beneath ships and boats. A type of active sonar, echo sounding is the transmission of an acoustic pulse directly downwards to the seabed, measuring the time between transmission and echo return, after having hit the bottom and bouncing back to its ship of origin. The acoustic pulse is emitted by a transducer which receives the return echo as well. The depth measurement is calculated by multiplying the speed of sound in water (averaging 1,500 meters per second) by the time between emission and echo return.
echo sounding is a process used to determine the depth of water beneath ships and boats a type of active sonar echo sounding is the transmission of an acoustic pulse directly downwards to the seabed measuring the time between transmission and echo return after having hit the bottom and bouncing back to its ship of origin the acoustic pulse is emitted by a transducer which receives the return echo as well the depth measurement is calculated by multiplying the speed of sound in water (averaging 1500 meters per second) by the time between emission and echo return