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BioSonics Scientific Echosounders
DT-X SUB - Submersible Automous Echosounder
The BioSonics DT-X SUB Echosounder System is a completely self-contained echosounder solution for autonomous deployments where cabling to the surface may be cost-prohibitive or impractical. DT-X scientific echosounder technology is packaged in a pressure rated housing that is adaptable for deployment via AUV, ROV, or seafloor observatory platform.
The DT-X SUB is programmed at the surface for the desired sampling interval and ping rate. The DT-X SUB has programmable duty cycling for extended battery life, is ideal for long term studies, and will operate any of BioSonics standard transducers.
Let us help you configure a DT-X SUB system to match your study objectives. We are happy to answer any questions and look forward to assisting you. Contact us today for details.
DT-X SUB Case Studies
Papua New Guinea - Biomass Study
BioSonics DT-X SUB echosounder deployed in a yearlong project to assess biomass (fish and plankton) in Papua New Guinea. The system is configured with 38 and 200 kHz transducers and operating in a fully autonomous mode. The DT-X-SUB is powered by (3) Ocean Sonics battery packs and will operate on a 15% duty cycle to extend battery life and allow for 3-month deployments. The hardware is mounted in a custom mooring frame deployed in 400 m of water. The DT-X SUB system will measure demersal and pelagic fish biomass and the diel migration of plankton over the course of this 12-month study
Custom mooring frame prepared for deployment aboard ship in Papua New Guinean-looking orientation.
Illustration of DT-X SUB deployed on a mooring with two transducers simultaneously operating in up-looking and down-looking orientation.
Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound - MHK Baseline Study
University of Washington, working with NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center, successfully deployed and retrieved a BioSonics DT-X SUB echosounder after a 1-month deployment in northern Admiralty Inlet, WA. The study location was a proposed tidal energy demonstration project site.
"When it's down there, collecting data, it's completely self-contained. There's no line to the surface, no signal to the surface. It's entirely contained in just what you see here," said Jim Thomson, Oceanographer with the University of Washington.
The DT-X SUB was used to detect, categorize, and enumerate pelagic fish, in vertebrate and marine mammal species at the proposed site. The intent was to allow marine hydrokinetic (MHK) site and device developers to install tidal turbines in suitable locations while minimizing behavioral effects on aquatic organisms.
The programmable DT-X SUB system automatically collected and logged water column backscatter data throughout the month-long deployment. The scientific echosounder was programmed operate in a 10% duty cycle, alternating between pinging and sleep modes. This duty cycle maximized temporal coverage and extended battery life for the duration of the deployment. The system was retrieved using acoustic releases and the data files were downloaded for processing of fish abundance, distribution, and behavior information.
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DT-X SUB fully rigged on Seaspider tripod mount with subsea batteries and acoustic release. Shown prior to deplyment (above) and upon retrieval (right).
