Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems

The integrity of submarine pipelines and cables is crucial for safeguarding marine oil, gas, and information transmission, as well as ecological security. Employing automated identification of side-scan sonar (SSS) images can enhance marine geophysical survey efficiency, enabling high-frequency asse...

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Main Authors: Min Wei, Yongqing Yu, Xing Du, Yupeng Song, Lifeng Dong, Qikun Zhou, Linfeng Wang, Longying Zhang, Yamei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1596238/full
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author Min Wei
Min Wei
Yongqing Yu
Xing Du
Yupeng Song
Lifeng Dong
Qikun Zhou
Linfeng Wang
Longying Zhang
Yamei Wang
author_facet Min Wei
Min Wei
Yongqing Yu
Xing Du
Yupeng Song
Lifeng Dong
Qikun Zhou
Linfeng Wang
Longying Zhang
Yamei Wang
author_sort Min Wei
collection DOAJ
description The integrity of submarine pipelines and cables is crucial for safeguarding marine oil, gas, and information transmission, as well as ecological security. Employing automated identification of side-scan sonar (SSS) images can enhance marine geophysical survey efficiency, enabling high-frequency assessment of seabed anthropogenic footprints. However, there is a notable gap in research regarding the comparative performance of different models and the impact of data expansion. This study presents an in-depth comparison of various convolutional neural network (CNN) models-specifically, AlexNet, GoogleNet, and VGG-16-focusing on their prediction accuracy and computational efficiency in analyzing SSS datasets. Our findings reveal that GoogleNet outperforms the others, offering superior prediction accuracy with balanced computational demands. While AlexNet is less accurate, it is beneficial for scenarios with limited computational resources. Conversely, VGG-16 shows comparatively weaker performance, making it less suitable for SSS image analysis. Notably, data expansion significantly influences model accuracy, although its impact varies across different models. This research contributes critical insights into model selection for marine geological applications, demonstrating the potential of intelligent interpretation systems in modern marine geology.
format Article
id doaj-art-0b37b9460dc746d082d2415683797ca6
institution OA Journals
issn 2296-6463
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Earth Science
spelling doaj-art-0b37b9460dc746d082d2415683797ca62025-08-20T02:35:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-06-011310.3389/feart.2025.15962381596238Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systemsMin Wei0Min Wei1Yongqing Yu2Xing Du3Yupeng Song4Lifeng Dong5Qikun Zhou6Linfeng Wang7Longying Zhang8Yamei Wang9College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, ChinaMarine Oil Production Plant, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, ChinaMarine Oil Production Plant, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, ChinaFirst Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Qingdao, ChinaFirst Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Qingdao, ChinaFirst Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Qingdao, ChinaFirst Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Qingdao, ChinaMarine Oil Production Plant, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, ChinaMarine Oil Production Plant, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, ChinaMarine Oil Production Plant, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, ChinaThe integrity of submarine pipelines and cables is crucial for safeguarding marine oil, gas, and information transmission, as well as ecological security. Employing automated identification of side-scan sonar (SSS) images can enhance marine geophysical survey efficiency, enabling high-frequency assessment of seabed anthropogenic footprints. However, there is a notable gap in research regarding the comparative performance of different models and the impact of data expansion. This study presents an in-depth comparison of various convolutional neural network (CNN) models-specifically, AlexNet, GoogleNet, and VGG-16-focusing on their prediction accuracy and computational efficiency in analyzing SSS datasets. Our findings reveal that GoogleNet outperforms the others, offering superior prediction accuracy with balanced computational demands. While AlexNet is less accurate, it is beneficial for scenarios with limited computational resources. Conversely, VGG-16 shows comparatively weaker performance, making it less suitable for SSS image analysis. Notably, data expansion significantly influences model accuracy, although its impact varies across different models. This research contributes critical insights into model selection for marine geological applications, demonstrating the potential of intelligent interpretation systems in modern marine geology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1596238/fullmarine geophysical monitoringseabed anthropogenic featuresintelligent earth observationsonar image interpretationcoastal zone management
spellingShingle Min Wei
Min Wei
Yongqing Yu
Xing Du
Yupeng Song
Lifeng Dong
Qikun Zhou
Linfeng Wang
Longying Zhang
Yamei Wang
Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
Frontiers in Earth Science
marine geophysical monitoring
seabed anthropogenic features
intelligent earth observation
sonar image interpretation
coastal zone management
title Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
title_full Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
title_fullStr Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
title_full_unstemmed Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
title_short Automated detection of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Estuary: a deep learning approach for side-scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
title_sort automated detection of submarine pipelines in the yellow river estuary a deep learning approach for side scan sonar data in dynamic deltaic systems
topic marine geophysical monitoring
seabed anthropogenic features
intelligent earth observation
sonar image interpretation
coastal zone management
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1596238/full
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