Geostatistical modeling of sedimentological parameters using multi-scale terrain variables: application along the Belgian Part of the North Sea

The sediment nature and processes are the key to the understanding of the marine ecosystem, and can explain particularly the presence of soft-substrata habitats. For predictions of the occurrence of species and habitats, detailed sedimentological information is often crucial. This paper presents a methodology to create high quality sedimentological data grids of grain-size fractions and the percentage of silt-clay. Based on a multibeam bathymetry terrain model, multiple sources of secondary information (multi-scale terrain variables) were derived. Through the use of the geostatistical technique, Kriging with an external drift (KED), this secondary information was used to assist in the interpolation of the sedimentological data. For comparison purposes, the more commonly used Ordinary Kriging technique, was also applied. Validation indices indicated that KED gave better results for all of the maps.