FLEDERMAUS CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

IVS 3D travels the world helping clients to understand and use all of the interactive and intuitive tools available in their Fledermaus software suite. In our travels, we come across many who have created an amazing image or have accomplished their goals with greater efficiencies then they thought possible. Sometimes it is something that we think is simply ground breaking. Here is one of their stories; we hope to give them the accolades they deserve.

Contact us with your FM story, and tell us what you have done with your multibeam sonar and related data using Fledermaus for processing, quality control, analysis, and presentation.

INOCAR: Using Fledermaus to Make the Case for UNCLOS

A recent Fledermaus client, INOCAR (Instituto Oceanografico de la Armada, or roughly translated as the Ecuadorian Institute of Navy Oceanography or Oceanographic Institute of the Navy) purchased their Fledermaus Professional license in March of 2008. They wanted to immediately start making visualizations to help garner support for their country's acceptance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), as well as learn how they could use the Fledermaus Suite as part of a potential submission under Article 76 of UNCLOS, so they also purchased customized Fledermaus training to expedite their implementation.

Article 76 of UNCLOS provides nations with the opportunity to claim an extended area of sovereignty, based on the Convention's definition of the continental shelf. The submission process requires gathering a variety of seafloor data, including the collection of new multibeam data when feasible and where necessary. Ecuador has not signed the UNCLOS to date.

Erin Heffron, Geologist and Product Specialist with IVS 3D, spent 3 days with Andrés Pazmiño and his team to provide not only an overview of the full Fledermaus software suite, but also specific training on the Fledermaus tools they will need to use as part of their UNCLOS submission. With the Fledermaus Professional Suite, INOCAR will be able to review and compare the many different formats of existing data that are available publicly, including everything from global seafloor models to the latest lines of multibeam data. In addition to data comparison, INOCAR can edit any new multibeam data they collect in the field using the CUBE algorithm and area-based editing that are part of the Fledermaus Professional package. The visualization tools available in Fledermaus will also provide them with the means to present all of their findings to the public for comment, as well as present to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf if Ecuador decides to sign the Convention and submit under Article 76.

Carlos Martillo Bustamante, Geologist at INOCAR, commented on his use of Fledermaus, "It is important for Ecuador to prove in their UNCLOS submission the continuity between Galapagos shelf and the Carnegie ridge. The issue of morphology is the most important aspect of this continuity, and Fledermaus will help us to analyze that continuity for the benefit of the Ecuadorian people."


A Fledermaus image of the Galapagos Islands, looking east toward the coast of Ecuador. The red line surrounds the area of interest, including (moving towards shore) the islands, the Galapagos Platform, and the Carnegie Ridge (the ridge and platform are visible as raised, light blue to white areas on the seafloor).