USGS MIPS Navmerge Documentation

USGS MIPS Navmerge Documentation

This program merges navigation information from the overall cruise navigation file with individual sonar images . Many sonar imaging systems collect only the image data and the date/time for each line in the image. The navigation data (e.g., latitiude, longitude, etc) are typically collected using a different recording device that also records the date/time. Generally, the navigation data is at a coarser resolution(i.e., not collected for every image line) than the image data. Thus, this program will use both datasets and merge the appropriate navigation data with the corresponding sonar image and, if necessary, interpolate navigation values for each image line due to the differences in data resolution. The merging of these two datasets is necessary because the geometric corrections applied to the individual sonar images require navigational information.

Files

This program requires as input one unsigned 8-bit or signed 16-bit sonar image file and the associated navigation file from the cruise that collected the sonar data images. NAVMERGE updates the navigation header file associated with the given sonar image; the history file is also updated.

Parameters

LATLON, ROLL, PITCH, HEADING,VELOCITY, DEPTH and ALTITUDE: These parameters are used to select which parameters from the cruise navigation file will be merged into the image navigation header file. By default the latitude, longitude, heading, velocity, and left/right altitudes are automatically merged. However, any of the parameters can be turned on or off based on the user's requirements.

Uses

This program is generally required after importing a sonar image, such as GLORIA, however, some sonar data logging systems may not require this step (e.g, Mudshark and QMIPS). File formats such as QMIPS embed the navigation information in the image file. When QMIPSIN is run the navigation information is extracted and put into the MIPS navigation file. Data logging systems that do NOT embed the navigation information in the original image file must use NAVMERGE to extract the navigation information from the seperate cruise navigation file and store it in the required MIPS navigation file format.