Overview

Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) is a non intrusive and rapidly available alternative to shallow water hydrographic surveys and is used for a wide variety of applications including coastal and hydrodynamic modeling, remote reconnaissance and operational planning.

Produced from ESA’s Sentinel-2 A/B multispectral satellite imagery using numerous overlapping images to reduce data gaps due to clouds and turbidity, the 10 meter resolution Satellite Derived Bathymetry is an accurate and an extremely cost effective bathymetry product that is readily available or can be rapidly produced in clear, shallow water regions globally. 

The product provides accurate coastal bathymetry for areas with 0-20 m depths and can achieve up to 30m depth in ideal conditions.  In locations of high turbidity depths range is more limited.  The surfaces are calibrated and validated using ICESat-2 LiDAR, singlebeam and multibeam data, and nautical charts where available. Annual and seasonal updates available

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Data products are available off the shelf for immediate use for many areas around the globe or projects can be ordered for on demand data processing by submitting an Area of Interest to TCarta HERE.

Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) is a lower cost alternative to marine surveys and much higher resolution and more up to date than ETOPO and GEBCO datasets for coastal areas. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Sensor:  Sentinel 2 A / B
Product Resolution: 10 meters

Imagery Dates: 2016 - 2024+ ongoing collection

Estimated maximum survey depth: 15 - 20m, up to 30m in ideal conditions

Vertical Uncertainty:  +-10% of water depth + tidal uncertainty

Horizontal Accuracy: CE90 12m

SDB Method: Machine Learning Random Forest

Validation Method: ICESat-2 Space-Based Laser Bathymetry
Bathymetry data Format: 32-bit floating GeoTIFF, BAG, ASCII XYZ file

Ancillary Deliverables: Survey Report (.pdf), Uncertainty Raster

Coordinate System:  GCS WGS84, EPSG 4326, UTM

Vertical Datum: Mean Sea Level

Example Applications and Use Cases

• Hydrographic Surveying

• Reconnaissance for marine survey

• Survey line planning

• Updating Nautical Charts

• Coastal Engineering: 
  

• Environmental Impact Assessments

• Before / After construction comparisons

• Hydrodynamic modeling

•  Floating Solar facilities: 

• Suitability Analysis -  Location siting using modern and accurate bathymetry.

• Wave modeling for construction planning

• Mooring design & cable routing to shore

•  Offshore Wind farms:

• Site planning and cost estimates

• Environmental Impact assessments

• Mooring design & cable routing

• Site characterisation

•  Fiber Optic cable route planning,

• Hazard avoidance

• Optimize routing and decrease distance

•  Aquaculture

• Site selection

• Monitoring

• Water flow modeling

•  Dredging

• Measuring material

• Monitoring for change

• Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT)

• Reconnaissance of inaccessible areas

• Updating Nautical Charts

• Route planning

• Natural Disasters.

• Inundation modeling