Abstract:
For the better management of the ocean and sea resources, the most important is to understand the structures, the relief, and shapes of the seabed, as well as the rate of the distribution of the benthos habitats. Such cartography is essential to improve our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and the links between biota and habitats. In recent years, huge investments in the development of hydrographic technologies have made it possible to map large areas of the continental shelf. Basic remote techniques allow the measurement of depth and other physical characteristics to assess and analyze the roughness and hardness of the seabed over large areas. With the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, our country has undertaken a number of commitments related to full-scale mapping of the sea areas of the country. This requires a systematic study and comprehension of the Bulgarian sector of the Black Sea, as geomorphological and geological mapping of the seabed are a priority task of national importance. Modern multi-beam sonar systems offer opportunities for precision and high-resolution data required for spatial analysis of seabed forms and lithological varieties of the bottom. These studies are fundamental for the country and are currently integrated into hydrographic practices. The results presented in this paper confirm the need for their wide application in marine geological mapping and mapping. This report aims to present a catalog of current research in the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal zone (BBSCZ), to analyze current problems in the survey of our seabed, as well as to present current solutions for future research of the most difficult to access shallow water areas within BBSCZ.