Abstract: A sonar system comprises a vehicle (1) capable of moving over the bottom of an extent of water, with an emitter of acoustic pulses and a receiver of acoustic energy mounted on said vehicle. Signal processing and display circuitry (e.g. on board a surface vessel 2) are connected to receive signals representative of the acoustic waves emitted by the emitter, of the acoustic waves received by the receiver, and of parameters describing the motion of the vehicle. The signal processing and display circuitry generates an image of objects hidden in the water bottom on the basis of the signals. The emitter of acoustic pulses is provided with at least one parametric transducer having a spot radiation pattern capable of forming a plurality of channels that bathe spots of the water bottom in sound waves, and an electronic pointing system for scanning the channels.