Sea floor echosounding data obtained during seven scientific surveys were stored in the hydroacoustical database at the FURG Fishery Technology and Hydroacoustics Laboratory, for validation, analysis and interpretation. Data were collected by means of scientific echosounders operating at 38 kHz, along the Brazilian coast extending for 14.901 nautical miles (27.597 km), over the continental shelf, shelf break and adjacent area, between Fortaleza (CE) and Chuí (RS), Brazil. Visual analysis of the echograms allowed classification of bottom relief echotypes, and 80 echogram images were selected. Also, a total of 104 bathymetrical profiles were drawn from transects perpendicular to the coast. For the three first surveys (9.695 mn), carried out along the southeastern and south coast, software for digital storage of the echograms was not available. For these surveys all bathymetric and bottom reflectivity ping to ping data were re-processed and 137 digital "bottom backscattering strength echoprofiles'' were drawn, containing data about bathymetry and bottom surface backscattering. These new images are now comparable with data collected along the cruises were digital echograms were stored. All results were made available in a Geographic Information System (GIS).
echosounder; bathymetry; GIS
