The focused investigation that follows a hint of something important: a shoal sounding, a side-scan contact or a charted feature to verify. Developing a feature means extra lines at closer spacing, slower speed, several passes over the top and often diver or lead-line checks. A feature is fully developed when its least depth and extent are known well enough to chart it with confidence.
Development on contact 14 is done, least depth 9.6, one more pass from the east to confirm.
Also heard as
- feature development
- developing
Related terms
Least depth
The shallowest depth over a wreck, rock or other feature, which is the value that gets charted.
Contact
A target picked out of side-scan or multibeam data that may be an object worth investigating.
Splits
Extra survey lines run halfway between existing lines to tighten spacing over a shoal or suspicious spot.
Shoal
A seabed area shallower than its surroundings that can endanger vessels; as a verb, to become shallower.
Disproval
Survey work proving that a charted feature does not exist, so it can be removed from the chart.