Kongsberg Maritime has launched its new high precision wideband echo sounder, the Simrad EK80.

According to Kongsberg, the EK80 is a quantum leap forward in acoustics for ecosystem monitoring, working on frequencies from 10 to 500 kHz simultaneously.

The Simrad EK80 supersedes the Simrad EK60, a system that has sold more than 1,100 units for research vessels.

“The system exploits wideband echo sounder technology where backscatter levels from a range of frequencies are processed, providing enhanced target information,” the company said in a statement.

“Previously scientific echo sounders provided information from a few single frequencies and with a limited ability to resolve individual targets, but the new wideband EK80 addresses both these limitations. With continuous frequency information available and a resolution that is dependent on bandwidth rather than pulse duration, the EK80 is set to revolutionise the understanding of the marine ecosystem,” said Tonny Algrøy, Global Sales Manager, Simrad Fish Research, Kongsberg Maritime.