| Fall | Ocean Mapping | GGE3353/GGE6301 | Introduction to hydrography: geomatics aspects, trends and prospects, role in offshore management. Depth determination: seabed and seawater properties, non-acoustic methods, underwater acoustics, vertical and oblique incidence methods, bathymetric and imaging methods. |
| Fall | Oceanography, Tides, and Water Levels | GGE5011/GGE6302 | Descriptive and theoretical introduction to physical oceanography, focusing on the coastal zone and the continental shelf. Components of physical oceanography that affect the accuracy and operational conduct of hydrographic surveying. Detailed studies of the controls on sound speed structure (seawater properties, propagation and refraction). Detailed studies of the controls on surface water level (tides, waves and swell, vertical reference surfaces). Constituent extraction from tidal observations and prediction of tides. Discrete and continuous tidal zoning, including an introduction to coastal hydrodynamic models. |
| Winter | Marine Geology and Geophysics | GGE5012/GGE6302 | Descriptive marine geology including all ocean depths, but focusing on the coastal zone and continental shelf. Components of surficial sedimentology that affect the accuracy and operational conduct of hydrographic surveying. Detailed studies of the controls on seafloor processes (deposition and erosion) and bottom backscatter strength (sonar performance, geomorphology, sediment classification). Descriptive and introductory-theoretical marine geophysics including single-channel, 2D multi-channel and 3D multi channel reflection seismic surveying. Marine refraction seismology. |
| Winter | Advanced Hydrography | GGE5311/GGE6311 | Advanced acquisition, processing and delivery of ocean mapping data. Topics covered include: Multibeam sonar system setup, integration, application and troubleshooting; survey planning and reporting; advanced multibeam sonar data processing, including water column object detection; and hydrographic data management. |
| Winter | Hydrographic Field Operations | GGE5083 | Complex multidisciplinary Field Project (CMFP) focused on autonomous survey vessel operations to support a specific ocean mapping and nautical charting problem. The CMFP will include survey planning, equipment preparation, data acquisition, and data processing to generate ocean mapping deliverables. |
