Abstract
Bathymetry refers to the depth of the water column in relation to sea level. It is fundamental in marine spatial plan- ning, resource exploration and sustainable management of marine resources. It is also vital for safety of navigation, and planning of coast-based infrastructural developments. However, acquisition of bathymetry data is very expen- sive due to the cost of equipment, expertise and technology needed to collect data and produce maps. Satellite-de- rived bathymetry (SDB) therefore offers an opportunity to generate shallow water bathymetry at extremely reduced costs, mainly due to freely-available multispectral satellite imagery and open-source processing software. This paper presents the application of an already developed and published shallow-water bathymetry derivation model and protocols. The results indicate that the technique could be effective for mapping shallow water bathymetry, with higher accuracy in low to non-turbid waters. The SDB of Mombasa Port was identical to the official charted depths upon comparison, with a R2 value of ~90% and a RMSE of 1.61 m. SDB maps can be categorized as medium resolu- tion due to their relatively low spatial resolution. SDB cannot be used as a stand-alone hydrographic tool but it rather offers a viable reconnaissance solution for mapping shallow coastal waters where hydrographic data gaps exist.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 93-102 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- bathymetry
- remote sensing
- satellite imagery
- Landsat 8
- models