Applied marine geodetic research in polar regions

At the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, several geodetic methods are used to map the seafloor in polar regions. Multibeam bathymetric surveys are regularly conducted in polar regions by the institute's icebreaker Polarstern. These multibeam data are combined with bathymetric data from other sources to create bathymetric maps. The Hydrosweep multibeam system on the Polarstern is presently being modified to have a wider survey swath and the ability to collect sidescan and backscatter data. These modifications will enable researchers to survey the seafloor more efficiently and will provide important information about the seafloor materials. Satellite altimetry data is also used to supply the correlation between the earth's geopotential field and the seafloor topography. This correlation can be used to guide bathymetric contouring in areas with little or no bathymetric data. Current efforts involve the study of ERS‐1 altimetry data from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, where the altimetry data are being used to aid bathymetric mapping.