Crowdsourced Bathymetry

From Concept to Practice

There is definite appeal to the concept of crowdsourced bathymetric data. But from where I sit as a National Hydrographer and nautical chart producer, the issues around using crowdsourced data are complex. Data quality, data processing and liability are at the top of this list. Looking into the future, we need to take a measured approach to accepting third party data for use in nautical charting to help fill in the blanks. Crowdsourcing seems to be a great solution to the problem of nearly every national hydrographic office: too much water and not enough mapping resources to survey comprehensively. Maxim... (read more)

2013-12-03 04:43:48

AEM Bathymetry

Using geophysical exploration techniques to map shallow seawater depths

Airborne Electro Magnetic Bathymetric (AEMB) mapping is useful in turbid and surf-zone waters where lidar systems are not fully effective. Coastal areas of hydrographic importance containing turbidity, shoals and channels have been surveyed. This article describes AEM systems, gives highlights from surveys in Sydney Harbour and mentions refinements that would improve bathymetric accuracy. For several decades geophysicists have been using a transmitter loop fixed to an aircraft or towed by a helicopter to emit a magnetic field into the ground to search for mineral deposits. Currents thus induced in the ground generate a return magnetic field that can be detected... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

Satellite Derived Bathymetry Migration

From Laboratories to Chart Production Routine

Much has been said about Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB), but with the exception of SHOM, which led to the introduction of a number of SDB charts into the French chart series, next to nothing has been implemented within the international hydrographic community. This article aims to update readers as SDB, thanks to new generation satellites and modelling, seeing the light after going through a thirty years’ tunnel. In 2014, detailed tests and analysis conducted by government hydrographers, cartographers and recognised satellite scientists operating for a number of projects initiated by the European Space Agency, the WWF and other stakeholders, were completed,... (read more)

2015-10-12 04:09:41

Worldwide High-resolution Bathymetry

GOMaP, the Global Ocean Mapping Project, was a plan to methodically map all the world's oceans by multi-beam sonar. It may be stalled, but swath mapping of the oceans is certainly proceeding at a brisk pace, together with efforts to fill in unmapped and poorly mapped areas. I have chosen this 'bully pulpit' to promote the goals of GOMaP. In 1999 US Navy civilian scientists calculated that an US$8-16 billion programme lasting twenty to thirty years could methodically map all the oceans deeper than 500m using multi-beam. This deep GOMaP would require 225 years of ship-time and another 600 ship/launch-years... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

EMODnet Bathymetry New Release

A new version of the EMODnet Digital Bathymetry (DTM) has recently been published which now covers all of Europe's seas. The resolution of the EMODnet DTM has been increased from 1/4 x 1/4 arc minutes to a grid with 1/8 x 1/8 arc minutes (circa 230 metres). The new DTM is based upon approx. 6,000 gathered survey datasets and composite DTMs as provided by 29 data providers from 16 countries. The new release contains 1.092.115.678 data points (28.799 rows x 37.922 columns) which are divided over 16 tiles which can be downloaded freely in various formats. In addition, several upgrades... (read more)

2015-02-10 08:45:00

Very Shallow-water Bathymetry

The River Murray Operations Unit (RMOU) of the South Australian Water Corporation surveys very shallow waters, a type of surveying that has its own specific problems overcome by non-conventional solutions. This article was submitted by a surveyor from the above survey unit. I attended the Shallow Water Survey conference in Sydney in 2003 because that is what I was doing: shallow-water bathymetry - in fact, I was even doing it out of the water. To my surprise, shallow water seemed to be considered as something at about the 10 metre mark or a bit less; 10 metres, to me, was... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

IHO Encourages Crowdsourced Bathymetry

At the 5th Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference, held in Monaco in October 2014, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) agreed on the need to explore sources of bathymetric data outside traditional observations – particularly in support of defining a baseline global bathymetric dataset for the many non-navigational uses for depth data that are now emerging. This resulted in the establishment of a Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group that was tasked to provide guidance on how the IHO could encourage and promote crowdsourcing by vessels and craft using standard, fitted equipment. The IHO has a long history of encouraging the collection of crowdsourced... (read more)

2017-05-16 03:16:52

Improving Satellite-derived Bathymetry

Using Spatial Regression Algorithms

Bathymetry is traditionally acquired using singlebeam or multibeam echosounders. This method produces accurate depth measurements along transects but is constrained by operating cost and an inability to survey in very shallow waters. Airborne Lidar is able to produce accurate bathymetric information over clear waters at depths up to 70m, but can be costly and is limited by a relatively coarse bathymetric sampling interval. Experience in Irish waters has resulted in very poor seabed detection along the east coast and limited penetration on the west coast. An efficient and cost-effective alternative is satellite-derived bathymetry. Calculating Depths by Satellite Satellite Derived Bathymetry... (read more)

2016-12-20 01:33:10

Satellite-derived Bathymetry

A Reconaissance Tool for Hydrography

A study was conducted to evaluate the use of a satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) procedure to map shallow-water bathymetry in a GIS environment, and to identify areas that require a new hydrographic survey. Publically available, multispectral satellite imagery and published algorithms are used to derive estimates of the bathymetry. The study results indicate a potential use of the procedure by national hydrographic offices as a reconnaissance tool. In some developing countries, the information available to plan and prioritise hydrographic surveys is typically based on visual inspection of existing nautical charts. However, due to the age of many existing charts and lack... (read more)

2013-12-04 11:21:17

The Art of Bathymetry

Using 3D Printer Technology to Represent Survey Information

Great advancements have been made in three dimensional printing over the last few years and have made an impressionable impact across a variety of industries. 3D printings’ versatility can be incorporated into any industry that has some form of three dimensional design. An exciting application is to model point clouds from survey techniques to create three dimensional scaled models for visualisation and communication. In this article we will explore a new medium using 3D printed technology. Over the last few years great advancements have been made to all forms of surveying in three dimensional data capture, whether it be multibeam... (read more)

2016-05-19 11:44:56