Spatial Variability and Robust Interpolation of Seafloor Sediment Properties Using the SEABED Data Bases

There are huge amounts of data that describe the character of the seabed based on samplings and direct inspections made over decades. That data continues to grow rapidly and are still the richest and most detailed source of seabed information, an essential adjunct of modern remote sensed data types. One impediment to the wider use of the sample data is that it is difficult to draw area-maps (grid or polygon) from it. Other impediments such as word-based data and 3D-stratigraphic issues have seen much progress recently. This project aims to solve the remaining problem of reliable map generation. At project end the marine community will have a toolbox of interpolation tools for surficial seabed mapping. Researchers and operational groups will then be able to input detailed, spatially varying values on seafloor properties into models to increase the accuracy of sediment transport and acoustic propagation predictions.