About

We are entering a golden age of Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) with the availability of coincident optical sensors and spaceborne lidar instruments from which acurate models can be derived relying on spaceborne methods alone. However, collecting reference data to calibrate and validate models remains difficult and is available for a limited number of locations, particularly at the nearshore zone. With the expected acceleration of SDB products with new coincident sensors, data volumes and processing capacity, new SDB creation will outpace the acquisition of in situ data. OpenBathy is an initiative to bring together a comprehensive repository of available bathymetric datasets to support the SDB community..

The OpenBathy initiative aims to facilitate the discovery of reference bathymetric data for model calibration and validation activities. This includes already openly accessible datasets, for example from NOAA, but also includes reference data from published literature where datasets may have not been made available. This includes data that is not in the pubic domain but may still be accessed through direct communication with the dataset owner. Each database entry will be accompanied by complete and accurate metadata for full transparency and data accountability, enabling data to be easily searched, filtered and used with confidence.

If you wish to contribute data to the OpenBathy initiative, you can do so here: 

The OpenBathy team: