The institute GEOMAR owns a mobile multibeam system, the L3-ELAC SeaBeam 1050/1180, which can also be employed on the research vessels POSEIDON and ALKOR if required. The system can be used as 180 kHz shallow water system (1180) for water depths up to some hundred meters or rather as 50 kHz medium water depth system (1050) for water depths of 2,500 m maximum. Therefore different transducers are employed. 

SeaBeam 1050 Multibeam Echosounder collects bathymetric and sidescan data in medium depth waters over a wide swath in excess of 150 degrees.

Detailed data can be recorded with this 50 kHz system in water depth of up to 3000 meters with maximum 126 individual beams. 

SeaBeam 1180 Multibeam Echosounder collects bathymetric and sidescan data in shallow water over a wide swath in excess of 150 degrees.

High resolution data are recorded with up to 25 pings per second and a wide swath of up to 900 meters width.

Superior depth performance of 600 meters water depth can be achieved.