When comparing airborne lidar to vessel scanning, how many soundings does the airborne lidar capture per second?

Airborne lidar systems are capable of capturing a significant number of soundings per second due to their high-speed data acquisition capabilities. These systems utilize laser pulses that are emitted from an aircraft, allowing them to scan vast areas rapidly. The technology can achieve data rates in the range of hundreds to thousands of soundings every second.

The figure of 990 soundings per second reflects the efficient operation of the airborne lidar system, which enables detailed topographic mapping and bathymetric surveys over large expanses of land and water in relatively short time frames. This high data capture rate allows for high-resolution models of the terrain and underwater features, which is crucial for various applications in hydrographic surveying.

Comparatively, other options suggest soundings per second numbers that are less representative of the capabilities typically seen in airborne lidar technology. While some systems may operate at lower data rates, the option indicating 990 is understood to be more aligned with common operational metrics for these advanced surveying systems. This further emphasizes the effectiveness of airborne lidar in capturing detailed and comprehensive datasets.