Application of Side-Scan Sonar and Multibeam Echosounder for the Investigation of Underwater Cultural Heritage – A Case Study of a Wreck in the Baltic Sea

Abstract. As the technology of hydroacoustic sensors advances, there is a growing trend in the use of generated sonar images and point clouds in the analysis of the seabed and objects of anthropogenic origin in water bodies. In the context of cognitive and practical dimensions, obtaining data on sunken ships is of particular importance. Based on the data obtained from hydroacoustic sensors, it is possible to extract their geometric features. As a result, it is possible to develop digital repositories of wrecks, based on sonar and bathymetric data, among others, which in the future may enable the construction of integrated knowledge bases on underwater heritage. The purpose of the work was to extract the geometric features of the wreck of the Zawiszaczek located in the Puck Bay of the Baltic Sea. As part of the work, bathymetric measurements were planned, side-scan sonar and multibeam echosounder data were collected. Based on the acquired data, the geometric features of the wreck were extracted. The differences in the wreck's dimensions, as determined by sonar images obtained from different routes, did not exceed 0.25 m.