Bathymetry Determination From Marine Radar Image Sequences Using the Hilbert Transform

Abstract

This letter presents an image processing technique based on the theory of the Hilbert transform to determine the coastal bathymetry from marine radar image sequences. Use of the Hilbert transform enables the difficulties and complications of inhomogeneous image analysis to be avoided. In addition, a number of steps and complex computations can be avoided using the numerical algorithm of the Hilbert transform. Because the Hilbert transform is suitable for only monocomponent signals, we first applied the image procedure to decompose the irregular wave patterns into different single wave period images. Analysis of the simulated wave field and radar image sequences demonstrated that there was a high correlation between the estimated depths and reference depths. The causes for errors in the bathymetry estimations are also discussed.