Side-scan sonar is a category of sonar

Sonar

Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...

 system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor. It may be used to conduct surveys for maritime archaeology

Maritime archaeology

Maritime archaeology is a discipline within archaeology as a whole that specifically studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of associated physical remains, be they vessels, shore side facilities, port-related structures, cargoes, human remains and submerged...

; in conjunction with seafloor samples it is able to provide an understanding of the differences in material and texture type of the seabed. Side-scan sonar imagery is also a commonly used tool to detect debris items and other obstructions on the seafloor that may be hazardous to shipping or to seafloor installations by the oil and gas industry.