Abstract
This paper demonstrates the richness of data collected for nautical charting and considers ways in which chart data can support scientific research, through a case study of two modern navigation surveys undertaken in the Auckland Islands. While legacy charts have coarser resolution, and may synthesize different epochs together into one final product, we examine how they may be used on their own and to complement more recent hydrographic surveys. We argue that the hydrographic and ancillary data, only a fraction of which appears on the final chart, also has scientific value and that the hydrographic surveying principles applied during data collection are equally relevant for all seabed mapping. While the benefits of full bottom coverage obtained by state of-the-art multibeam surveys are clear, there is much more to be discovered in legacy singlebeam datasets than what is displayed on the nautical chart alone.
Highlights
While everybody who works in the marine environment is likely familiar with nautical charts, scientific users of these materials may not be familiar with the methods of chart production and may be missing important opportunities to bring additional information to their marine research
Information collected for nautical charting is a rich primary data source that is reduced for presentation on published charts
In New Zealand, charting responsibility is held by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), who contract the collection of the underlying hydrographic data to commercial surveyors
Summary
While everybody who works in the marine environment is likely familiar with nautical charts (charts hereafter), scientific users of these materials may not be familiar with the methods of chart production and may be missing important opportunities to bring additional information to their marine research. Information collected for nautical charting is a rich primary data source that is reduced for presentation on published charts. This necessary part of charting obscures information that may aid both scientific analysis of existing data and planning of additional seabed mapping activities. Nautical charts are designed for safe maritime navigation. Up-to-date georeferenced navigational charts as well as their individual components, such as sounding points and contours, may be downloaded Metadata includes elements, such as the date and design scale of use, and points users to other documentation, which will allow appropriate and informed use of the data. In the case of a chart, these will provide detailed information on the collection and processing methods used to generate the chart (e.g., hydrographic standards and specifications for nautical charts and publications) as well as how to interpret the symbols and abbreviations used
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