MB-System Copyright, Licensing and Caveat:

This file contains the copyright and licensing terms for the MB-System open source software package for the processing and display of swath sonar data. This file is located at the top of the MB-System source code distribution directory structure.

Last Updated January 22, 2024

MB-System Copyright (C) 1993-2024 by

David W. Caress (caress@mbari.org)
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Moss Landing, California, USA

Dale N. Chayes
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
University of New Hampshire
Durham, New Hampshire, USA

Christian dos Santos Ferreira
Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften (MARUM)
Universität Bremen
Center of Marine Environmental Science (MARUM)
University of Bremen
Bremen Germany

MB-System was created by Caress and Chayes in 1992 at the
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of
Columbia University
Palisades, NY 10964

All Rights Reserved

License

The MB-System source code is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 3, as formulated by the GNU Project. Early MB-System distributions were described as "public domain", which meant there was no restriction whatsoever on the use of the code. For over a decade we have adopted the more restrictive GNU GPL license in order to insure that anyone who distributes software based in whole or in part on MB-System also distributes their modified MB-System source code and any additional source code.

The file "GPL.md", also located at the top of the MB-System source code distribution directory structure, contains the text of the GNU GPL version 3. This text and associated explanations are available at the GNU Project website https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html

The MB-System distribution includes some source code derived from packages that are distributed separately and have been authored by programmers other than the MB-System team. This includes:

• The Generic Sensor Format (GSF) library source located in mbsystem/src/gsf
  The GSF package is maintained and distributed by Leidos Corporation under contract to the United States Naval Oceanographic Office. The current source code can downloaded from https://www.leidos.com/products/ocean-marine and is licensed using the LGPLv2.1 open source license.
• The SURF API (SAPI) library source located in mbsystem/src/surf
  The SAPI package was released under the GNU General Public License by Atlas Hydrographic in 2001; Atlas Hydrographic has since been acquired by Teledyne Marine Technologies Inc.
• The MR1PR library source located in mbsystem/src/mr1pr
  This package was primarily developed by Roger Davis of the Hawaii Mapping Research Group (HMRG) at the University of Hawaii. The MR1PR source code was released without restriction by HMRG in 2000. This code is licensed as part of MB-System under the GNU General Public License (version 3).
• The mb_beaudoin() function found in mbsystem/src/mbio/mb_angle.c
  This important function that calculates beam angles for multibeam sonars was contributed by Jonathan Beaudoin of CCOM/JHC University of New Hampshire and John Hughes Clarke of the Ocean Mapping Group, University of New Brunswick. This code is licensed as part of MB-System under the GNU General Public License (version 3).
• The mb_mergesort() function found in mbsystem/src/mbio/mb_esf.c
  This implementation of the merge sorting algorithm derives from the GNU-Darwin Distribution. This code is released under both the Apple Public Source License Version 1.1 and the BSD license, with original copyright by the Regents of the University of California.
• The Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) algorithm and related software
  The TRN software included in MB-System derives from software developed by Steve Rock of Stanford University, many of Steve Rock's graduate students from 2000 through 2020, and Rob McEwen, Rich Henthorn, and Kent Headley of MBARI. The integration of TRN into MB-System was doen by Kent Headley and David Caress, and the relevant source files are found in mbsystem/src/mbtrn, mbsystem/src/mbtrnav, mbsystem/src/mbtrnframe, and mbsystem/src/mbtrnutils. This code is licensed as part of MB-System under the GNU General Public License (version 3).

Caveat

The MB-System source code and any associated documentation does not come with any warranties, nor is it guaranteed to work on your computer or to do anything useful. The user assumes full responsibility for the use of this system. In particular, David W. Caress, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, or any other individuals or organizations involved in the design and maintenance of the MB-System software package are NOT responsible for any damage that may follow from correct or incorrect use of these programs.