High-frequency acoustic observations of benthic spatial and temporal variability

A bottom-mounted sonar operating at 40 kHz has been used to measure the variation of bottom acoustic scattering over extended time intervals al two shallow sites as part of the Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer Special Research Project. The acoustic data were analyzed using a correlation method that measures the spatial and temporal dependence of benthic change. The rate of decorrelation was two orders of magnitude more rapid at a sandy site near Panama City, Florida, USA, than at a silty site in Eckernforde Bay, Germany, and both sites were characterized by hot spots or localized regions of activity.