Satellite-Derived Bathymetry for Improving Canadian Hydrographic Service Charts

René Chénier,Ryan Ahola,Marc-André Faucher

doi:10.3390/ijgi7080306

René Chénier, Ryan Ahola + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi7080306

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Abstract

Approximately 1000 Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) charts cover Canada’s oceans and navigable waters. Many charts use information collected with techniques that predate the more advanced technologies available to Hydrographic Offices (HOs) today. Furthermore, gaps in survey data, particularly in the Canadian Arctic where only 6% of waters are surveyed to modern standards, are also problematic. Through a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Government Related Initiatives Program (GRIP) project, CHS is exploring remote sensing techniques to assist with the improvement of Canadian navigational charts. Projects exploring optical/Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) shoreline extraction and change detection, as well as optical Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB), are currently underway. This paper focuses on SDB extracted from high-resolution optical imagery, highlighting current results as well as the challenges and opportunities CHS will encounter when implementing SDB within its operational chart production process. SDB is of particular interest to CHS due to its ability to supplement depths derived from traditional hydrographic surveys. This is of great importance in shallow and/or remote Canadian waters where achieving wide-area depth coverage through traditional surveys is costly, time-consuming and a safety risk to survey operators. With an accuracy of around 1 m, SDB could be used by CHS to fill gaps in survey data and to provide valuable information in dynamic areas.

Highlights

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is responsible for the production and maintenance of approximately 1000 nautical charts and other hydrographic publications
>10 m, they may not be sufficiently reliable for inclusion on charts relative to survey data, these results show that while Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB) estimates may be possible for depths
While the results shown in this paper illustrate the potential of empirical SDB approaches for estimating water depth in Canadian waters, some important limitations are apparent which will estimating water depth in Canadian waters, some important limitations are apparent which will impact

Summary

Introduction

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is responsible for the production and maintenance of approximately 1000 nautical charts and other hydrographic publications. With Canada being the country with the longest coastline, significant resources are needed to ensure that Canadian navigable waters are charted appropriately and to modern standards. This challenge is at its greatest in the Arctic as the remote geography and harsh climate increase the cost of hydrographic surveys and allow only a narrow period of time each year for surveying activities. The impacts of these factors directly contribute to the sparse coverage of modern hydrographic surveys, which account for only. The project leverages hybrid optical/Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

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