Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP Survey)

An acoustic Doppler current profiler, commonly referred to as an acoustic Doppler profiler, is an ADCP for short. This instrument is used by scientists to estimate the speed of water movement throughout the water column. When an ADCP is secured to the seabed, it can estimate current speeds not only at the bottom but also at continuous intervals extending to the surface. Additionally, the instrument can be mounted horizontally on sea walls or bridge piers in rivers and canals to estimate the current profile from one bank to the other, as well as on the bottom of ships to obtain continuous current readings while boats are in motion. In very deep areas, they can be deployed by cable from the surface.

ADCPs use sound to measure water currents, relying on a phenomenon called the Doppler effect. This effect explains how a sound wave exhibits a higher frequency, or pitch, as it approaches you than when it is moving away. You can observe the Doppler effect when a car passes by quickly, creating a distinctive sound that gets louder as it approaches and quieter as it passes.