Automated Global Shallow Water Bathymetry Mapping Using Google Earth Engine
Accurate shallow water bathymetry is vital for research, conservation and marine transport. This study develops an automated satellite‑based bathymetry approach using Sentinel‑2 surface reflectance data in Google Earth Engine, validated across diverse global sites, to produce robust, high‑resolution depth maps for shallow coastal and reef environments.
Subject Tags
- Reefs
- Conservation Technology
- Coastal
Abstract
Global shallow water bathymetry maps offer critical information to inform activities such as scientific research, environment protection, and marine transportation. Methods that employ satellite-based bathymetric modeling provide an alternative to conventional shipborne measurements, offering high spatial resolution combined with extensive coverage. We developed an automated bathymetry mapping approach based on the Sentinel-2 surface reflectance dataset in Google Earth Engine. We created a new method for generating a clean-water mosaic and a tailored automatic bathymetric estimation algorithm. We then evaluated the performance of the models at six globally diverse sites (Heron Island, Australia; West Coast of Hawaiʻi Island, Hawaiʻi; Saona Island, Dominican Republic; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands; and The Grenadines) using 113,520 field bathymetry sampling points. Our approach derived accurate bathymetry maps in shallow waters, with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values ranging from 1.2 to 1.9 m. This automatic, efficient, and robust method was applied to map shallow water bathymetry at the global scale, especially in areas which have high biodiversity (i.e., coral reefs).
Citation
Li, J., Knapp, D. E., Lyons, M., Roelfsema, C., Phinn, S., Schill, S. R., & Asner, G. P. (2021). Automated global shallow water bathymetry mapping using Google Earth Engine. Remote Sensing, 13(8), 1469.
TNC Authors
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Steve Schill
Lead Scientist. Caribbean
The Nature Conservancy
Email: sschill@tnc.org