Expected applications of Satellite Derived Bathymetry to hydrographic services.

Abstract

The authors have been developing the technique of Satellite Derived Bathymetry（ SDB） and have created trial SDBs at various waters around Japan. The trial SDB around Hateruma Island, Okinawa Pref., penetrates down to 24 m, which infers the maximum applicable depth of the current SDB technique. The trials off Kochi Pref. and at Choshi Port, Chiba Pref., indicate that water depths can be estimated properly, if training bathymetry data well represents the variety of depth, the nature of seabed, and water clarity in the given area. Although the current SDB analysis performs depth estimation of far larger uncertainty than acoustic hydrographic surveys, it has the great advantage of rapidity and mobility to derive approximate information of seafloor in harbours and coastal areas for use of charting, chart adequacy assessment, and disaster response.