Display SBP profiles with Python toolkit - example of Hakuho-maru Bathy 2010

Sub-bottom profilers (SBPs) are essential tools for investigating geological structures beneath sea or lake floors. SBPs are widely deployed because they do not interfere with other onboard survey methods such as sediment sampling and seismic profiling. However, SBP data are underutilized because they are stored in multiple different proprietary formats and commercial software is expensive. To improve this situation, we initially targeted a SyQwest Bathy-2010 installed on the R/V Hakuho Maru (JAMSTEC) and developed a procedure for SBP data visualization. This note aims to be a practical manual, with step-by-step guidance and screenshots, allowing interested users to easily process SBP data. The procedure involves three key steps: onboard data conversion, running a Python script, and creation of an index map. To ensure accessibility, the workflow has been tailored for free platforms, including Google Colab, enabling users with limited technical resources or programming experience to process SBP data effectively. We hope this effort democratizes the use of SBP data and facilitates its broader application in marine geological research.