In this animation, a survey ship uses a multibeam sonar to measure the depth of the seafloor. The warm colors (red, orange, yellow) correspond to shallower water depths, while cooler colors (green, blue, purple) indicate deeper depths. Scientists use these depth measurements to create hi-resolution multibeam bathymetric maps that depict the accurate depth of the seafloor once they are corrected for refraction and the motion of the ship. Video Credit: NOAA.

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