Hydrography: Its Present State and Future Development

By Z. Kopacz, W. Morgas and J. Urbanski, Institute of Navigation and Hydrography, Naval University of Gdynia, Poland

In this paper, considerations on the state ‘Seahydrographie’ in Germany; ‘hydro- of hydrography today and its development grafia morska’ in Poland, etc. trends are discussed and presented. The Hydrography, being the subject of our subject of hydrography and the objectives considerations, can be also considered of hydrographic activities are discussed. as a branch of marine science whose Also discussed are the reasons, as well means and methods can also be applied as the results, of changes, both those to the inland waterways, lakes, etc. that have been already accomplished and The subject of hydrography constitutes those that are now being accomplished. the measurement, description and This paper provides the authors’ opinion depiction of the water and coastal fea­ regarding the present state of hydrogra­ tures, but only these features, the phy and its future development trends. knowledge of which directly enhances the navigational safety as well as effi­ ciency of all human activities carried Introduction out in any kind of water environment. The following issues are presented Hydrography is generally considered as below: the definition of the ‘hydrogra­ the science, which deals with the fea­ phy’; the definition of hydrographic tures of the water as an element of the information; means, methods and geographical environment, i.e. the sci­ products of today’s hydrography; the ence as well as the human activity, impact of the computer, information which deals with the measurements, and space sciences and technologies description and depiction of these of hydrography and; the probable water features. In such a formulation, trends of hydrographic development. hydrography may be considered as part of physical geography. Hydrography can be considered as a Definition of the Hydrography pure science or as an applied science. We consider hydrography as an applied Today’s hydrography, being a branch of science, i.e. hydrography being a part marine science, has developed mainly of physical geography, which fulfils the during the last three centuries. It main additional requirements regarding navi­ objective was to enhance the safety of gational safety as well as efficiency of navigation by means of gathering, pro­ human activities both at sea and in cessing and supplying ships with hydro- other kinds of water environment. Such graphic information that was presented kind of hydrography in some countries in the form most suitable for the navi­ is called ‘nautical hydrography', i.e. gation of ships. In the past, the main users of hydrographic infor­ phy as a kind of marine science. However, the fur­ mation were merchant, fishing and naval surface ther transformation of hydrography into the one vessels. However, today the circle of hydrographic described by the third definition is evident and information users has increased enormously. unavoidable. Today’s hydrographic information is not the same as it was even half a century ago. The amount of different types of hydrographic information has Hydrographic Information grown considerably. But at the same time, tradi­ tional kinds of information have changed immense­ Hydrographic information constitutes the mixed set ly. Therefore, below are given three definitions of of information composed of many subsets of differ­ today’s hydrography. All of them are true, but they ent kinds of information. Hydrographic information is differ in the degree of generalization and, there­ a subset of geographical information. Hydrographic fore, in the extent of their meaning. The first defi­ information also constitutes the major part of navi­ nition is most specific and most narrow. The last gational information. Therefore, hydrographic infor­ one is the broadest and most general. mation can also be considered as the main subset However, it should be stressed that hydrography is of navigational information. In the last case, hydro- both a kind of human activity and a branch of applied graphic information constitutes this kind of informa­ science. Therefore, the definition of the term tion, which describes all the geographical environ­ ‘hydrography’ must contain both the subject of the ment of maritime navigation. (Kopacz, Morgas, hydrography, i.e. what is being done? as well as the Urbanski; The navigational and hydrographical provi­ objective function, i.e. for what is it being done? sion of ships’ special tasks... 2001). The definition of the term ‘hydrography’, according Hydrographic information necessary for ensuring to the Hydrographic Dictionary (IHO Special navigational safety, i.e. information of the geo­ Publication No 32) reads: graphical environment of maritime navigation, is Hydrography: the branch of applied science which composed of the following kinds of information: deals with the measurements and description of the physical features of the navigable portion of - Bathymetric information (depths and depth con­ the EARTH’S surface and adjoining coastal areas tours) with special reference to their use for the purpose - Sea bottom information (types of seafloor, of NAVIGATION. wrecks and other obstacles) The term ‘hydrography’ which also takes into - Selected oceanographic information (sea sur­ account the ‘non-navigational’ needs of the users face temperatures, salinity, tides, currents, etc.), of the sea, can be expressed as follows: - Aids to navigation Hydrography: the branch of marine science which - Magnetic variation deals with the acquisition, processing and depic­ - Important seacoast features, including the tion of data about the physical features of seas, coastal navigation infrastructure oceans and their coast for ensuring the safety of navigation and for enabling and facilitating the real­ However, today’s hydrographic information is nec­ isation of all tasks and missions at sea. essary not only for ensuring the navigational safe­ The third, broadest and, therefore, most general ty for surface ships but also for enabling and facil­ definition of the term ‘hydrography’ may be itating the realisation of all other human activities, expressed as follows: including those carried out underwater. Today, Hydrography: the branch of physical geography hydrographic information, besides the necessity of which deals with the collecting of the topographic, ensuring the safety of surface and underwater nav­ geophysical and géomorphologie data about the igation of all kinds of ships and craft, is also nec­ seas, oceans, inland waters and their coasts, and essary for: also with processing it into the final hydrographic products, for ensuring the navigational safety as - Exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon and well as the efficiency of all kinds of human activi­ mineral deposits ties being performed in any water environment. - Establishing and maintaining the exploitation's Further considerations regard mainly the second infrastructure version of hydrography’s definition, i.e. hydrogra­ - Underwater warfare activities: - Submarine and antisubmarine warfare activities Hydrography’s means, i.e. its equipment and sys­ - Mine warfare activities tems, can be divided into the following groups: - Special warfare activities - Amphibious warfare activities - Data acquisition and collection means - Fishing - Data processing means - Fish farming - Data distribution and updating means - Crustacean farming - Coastal zone management First, the means of acquisition of hydrographic data - Marine environment and natural resources pro­ will be briefly discussed. Hydrographic information, tection, and many other activities as has been already noted, contains three main kinds of information; these are: Today’s hydrographic information can be divided into three main kinds of information, as follows: - Topographic - Geophysical - Topographic information, comprising the seabed - Géomorphologie geomorphology (including bottom obstacles) and sea coast topographic information The topographic information can be divided into - Geophysical, information, i.e. oceanographic two main parts: information, and information regarding the Earth’s physical fields (gravity, magnetism, elec­ - Coastal topographic information tricity, etc.) - Seafloor topographic information - Géomorphologie information, i.e. information regarding not only the sea-bottom upper layers The seafloor topographic information is just bathy­ and their hydroacoustical and mechanical prop­ metric information. Further, only the acquisition erties, but also regarding the sub-bottom-sedi- means of this kind of information will be dis­ ment layers, including their structure, types and cussed. Although the means of acquisition of thickness, etc. The greater the penetration into coast-topography information is not discussed, it the sea bottom sediment layers are known the should be stressed that remote sensing means, better is this kind of hydrographic information including both satellite and aerial, are crucial for acquisition of this kind of information. These It should be emphasized that the permanent means are also becoming more and more impor­ growth of the amount of the géomorphologie infor­ tant for acquisition of this kind of information. mation in the set of the hydrographic information is Geophysical information, being part of hydrograph­ one of the main characteristics and trends of ic information, consists mainly of that part of hydrographic development at present. oceanographic information which regards sea water properties and water dynamics as well as of information regarding the Earth’s physical fields. The Means, Methods and Products of Although this part of hydrographic information is Today’s Hydrography very important, the means and methods of its gathering are not discussed in this paper. The rea­ The subject of hydrography, as a kind of human sons are 1) this kind of information (excluding tidal activity, encompasses: information) is rather typical for physical oceano­ graphy and marine geophysics; 2) only the typical - Acquisition and collection of the hydrographic means and methods of hydrography are discussed information (data) in this paper. - Processing the hydrographic information into Taking into account the above statement, only the final hydrographic products means of acquisition and processing of two main - Providing the users of the sea with hydrographic kinds of hydrographic information are discussed information in the most suitable forms for their below; these are: needs - Keeping up to date all the navigation safety infor­ - Bathymetric information mation - Géomorphologie information The acquisition of bathymetric information can be - Multifrequency echo sounders divided into three kinds of activities, which are: - Frequency-variable echo sounders i.e. the chirp sonars and other sub-bottom profilers - Measuring the values of particular kinds of infor­ mation (data) These system, especially sub-bottom profilers, - Determining the geographical coordinates of the allow the acquisition of almost al! géomorphologie measured data characteristics of the sub bottom-sediment layers, - Pre-processing and recording data (allowing the i.e. the structure of these layers, the sediment corrections, excluding errors, combining the type, the thickness of the particular layers of the accurate three dimensional geographical co-ordi- sea bed, to a depth of about 50m and even more. nates with the measured values of the data, and These data also allow evaluating the hydroacoustic recording these data as the geospatial data properties of sea bottom as well as the mechanical (information)) properties of the subbotom-sediment layers. As was already mentioned, the requirements for géo­ This process is usually performed automatically, by morphologie information is becoming more and more most of the measuring systems. Today’s bathymet­ important, especially for the offshore and inshore ric measurements are accomplished mainly by two industry, for coastal management and for naval war­ kinds of systems: fare activities. Therefore, it might be expected that sub-bottom profilers will be developed rapidly. - Sonar systems, i.e. hydroacoustic sensing sys­ The means of acquisition of hydrographic informa­ tems tion, besides the hydrographic information sen­ - Electromagnetic sensing systems sors, also includes the position-fixing systems. Since the middle of the 1990s, we have seen the The most effective sonar systems today are the introduction of the Global Positioning System (GPS) side-scan sonars, but especially, the multi beam and the GLONASS system, and their regional echo sounders (mbes). There are a wide variety of (WAAS, EGNOS) and local (DGPS, RTK) augmenta­ such systems which can incorporate from several tion systems. The GALILEO System is now being to several dozen beams that are transmitted from developed and expected, to become available by one or two transducer arrays. The angular cover­ 2008. These systems satisfy almost all today’s age sectors, i.e. the beam sectors, range from hydrography’s positioning requirements. It is about 60 to 160 degrees. These sounding sys­ expected that by 2010 the local augmentation sys­ tems provide high precision mapping with 100 per­ tems will be able to provide the users with posi­ cent coverage. The width of the swath can reach tioning accuracy of a few centimetres. Therefore, it eight times the depth. These swath-sounding sys­ may be concluded that the present, but especially tems are very promising survey systems. Their the future Global Navigation Satellite System wide use at present remains limited by the high (GNSS-2) will satisfy all the positioning require­ prices. ments of today’s and tomorrow’s hydrography. Among the electromagnetic sensing sytems the fol­ The last components of acquiring hydrographic infor­ lowing are the most important: mation are the data pre-processing and recording subsystems. Today, the whole data pre-processing - Aerial stereophotogrammetric systems and recording process is being realised in real-time - Airborne laser sounding systems by special on-board subsystems of the hydrographic ships, boats, airplanes, helicopters, etc. Modern Both systems are very effective but only for shal­ hydrographic survey systems, such as the previously low water areas (stereophotogrametry: to several noted multibeam echo sounders and similar systems meters; laser sounding: from a dozen to several can not only pre-process the measured data but also dozen meters). The demand for géomorphologie transform them into coloured, 3D bathymetric-con- information by the users of the sea is becoming tour maps of surveyed areas. It should be stressed higher and higher. This kind of information is that the ability exists today of producing high-resolu­ acquired almost exclusively now by hydroacoustic tion digital terrain models being the most important means, i.e. by echosonders. Among echo .sounders product from which the contour maps can be derived. the most effective are: In the past, hydrographic data were transformed into the final hydrographic products exclusively for mation and space sciences and technologies high­ the purpose of editing and issuing paper graphical ly influences the development of almost all kinds of and descriptive products (mainly charts and nauti­ human activities, including the hydrographic activi­ cal publications). ties and hydrography as an applied science. Today the development level of information process­ The following factors impact, to a high degree, the ing technologies, including the very advanced soft­ development of modern hydrography: ware tools, enable the creation of complex and high­ ly specialised hydrographic data bases which allow - Computer and information technologies the creation and operation of Geographical - Space technologies Information Systems (GISs). These systems com­ - Remote sensing prise sets of computer hardware, software, geo­ - Digital information processing graphical data and personnel designed to acquire, - Telecommunications and information transmis­ store, update, manipulate, analyse and display all sion forms of the geographically referenced products. These systems today replace the traditional carto­ We are not going to discuss the influence of all the graphic product. It is expected that their importance above particular factors upon hydrography’s devel­ will grow and, therefore, in a wider and wider extent opment and its change. They are sufficiently they will they replace the traditional way of editing known. We are only going to stress how all these and issuing the final hydrographic products factors together influenced and are influencing (Monahan, Hecht, Wells, Kenny, Campos: 2001) hydrography, both as a human activity and as an A substantial part of the GIS systems constitute applied science. maritime GIS systems. Widely known, and beginning to be widely used, are the Electronic Chart Display 1. The development of the above mentioned tech­ Information Systems (ECDIS). GIS systems are also nologies is already partly solved, and is going widely operated in the Hydrographic Offices (HO) and to solve definitely the problem of real-time, by other hydrographic information providers. high-accuracy positioning of nearly all kinds of However, it is evident that not only now, but also in geospatial measurements the future, there will be a great amount of users 2. Remote sensing is becoming one of the main (mainly recreational and sports craft owners and ways of collecting topographic information operators) who will continue to use the paper prod­ regarding the sea coast and shallow water ucts. However, it may be expected that these prod­ areas ucts can be and will be ‘printed on demand’, by the 3. Creation and operation of GIS have dramatical­ hydrographic information providers, as the printed ly changed the whole process of transferring output-data of GIS systems. In the same way, the hydrographic data to users. They have short­ highly specialised hydrographic information may also ened the time of data processing, and dramati­ be provided for the hydrographic support of non-nav- cally improved access to hydrographic informa­ igational tasks, works and other kinds of activities, tion and its use i.e. the industrial, coastal zone management, under­ 4. The introduction of swathe-surveying of the water naval warfare, and other similar activities. sea bottom also enables the real-time mapping Hydrographic information, especially in the form of of surveyed areas, what is not only a great specialised data bases, can be already distributed achievement but also the forerunner of the new and updated in the form of disc files by telecom­ era of sea surveying, i.e. the era of hydroa­ munications means. It is also expected that coustic sensing Internet will contribute to much wider distribution 5. New information and space technologies, espe­ of hydrographic information. cially the data-transmission technologies have resulted in new possibilities of distribution and updating hydrographic information. Now, there The Impact of the Computer, exist all necessary conditions for ensuring the Information and Space Sciences and constant maintenance of hydrographic informa­ Technologies upon Hydrography tion, at least for its main users 6. New computer, information and space sciences The fast development of today’s computer, infor­ and technologies also create the possibility and necessity for integration of the near-related ous cargoes being transported by sea branches of science into the new kinds of sci­ 4. There is an increase in the amount and kinds of ence. One of the most characteristic examples industrial activities, especially those that con­ coming into existence of the new branch of sci­ cern the exploration and exploitation of hydro­ ence: ‘geomatics’ which comprises: geodesy; carbons and mineral deposits positioning and navigation; digital imaging 5. There is a steady growth of the amount of activ­ (mapping and remote sensing); and GIS ities being performed under the sea surface, 7. New computer, information and space tech­ on the sea bottom and in the bottom sedi­ nologies also influence to a high degree the ments. Most of these activities belong to the qualifications and education of the personnel of industrial and underwater warfare activities the Hydrographic Offices and other hydrograph­ 6. There is a steady increase in the depth of the ic information providers. The substantial part of subsurface layer in which human activities are the personnel of these institutions, but espe­ being performed cially the personnel of the hydrographic (geo­ 7. There is a steady growth in the amount of graphic) information management systems, human activities being carried out in the constitute today the computer and information coastal zone, which results in the necessity to scientists. Also the hydrographers, even these maintain much more effective coastal manage­ who are involved in sea surveying are becoming ment system information scientists dealing with hydrograph­ 8. Today’s development level of global-coverage ic information communications as well as the necessity of solving and managing many global issues, The fast progress in developing and manufacturing among them the necessity to protect the the new data-collecting and data processing equip­ marine environment, ensuring maritime traffic ment and systems leaves far behind the possibility safety, and other global issues, results in the of their application in practice for economical rea­ further centralisation of the management of sons. these issues. This manifests itself in a growing The Probable Trends of Hydrographic Development need for international regulations and interna­ In the near and distant future, the development tional standards and change of hydrography will be influenced both by general development tendencies and their rea­ Hydrography carries out its tasks by itself. However, sons, and by the tendencies and reasons, which in realisation of more general and more complex are proper only to the activities being realised in maritime tasks hydrography participates, together the maritime environment. with other marine sciences, in their fulfilment. The general development tendencies influencing Therefore, the current as well as future hydrogra­ progress in hydrography include development in phy's objectives can be expressed as follows: science and technology and improvements in inte­ gration processes. The means, tools, systems, 1. Participate in ensuring the navigational safety activities and processes are converging, including of all users of sea, i.e. all ships, and craft as the integration of the branches of science. The weil as underwater vehicles and even divers coming into being of ‘geomatics’ corroborates this 2. Participate in ensuring the high efficiency of all tendency. kinds of human activities being realized at sea The development tendencies regarding human mar­ 3. Participate in ensuring maritime safety, but itime activities, which influence now and will also especially in the protection of the marine envi­ influence in the future hydrography and its activi­ ronment and natural resources, and in coastal- ties, are the following: zone-management process (Kopacz, Morgas, Urbanski; The Maritime Safety System...2001) 1. There is an increase in the number of ships and maritime craft, especially recreational and Taking the above into account, but especially the sports craft impact of computer, information and space sci­ 2. There is an ongoing increase in the dimensions ences and technologies upon hydrography, the fol­ of ships, especially merchant vessels lowing conclusions regarding hydrography’s devel­ 3. There is an increase in the amount of danger­ opment can be drawn: 1. The most characteristic feature of tomorrow’s of information) being necessary for enabling hydrography will be the permanent increase of and ensuring high efficiency of industrial géomorphologie data as part of hydrographic processes at sea. Taking into account the very information high efficiency of modern means of data gath­ 2. Hydrography is being integrated with other ering, processing and information provision, it branches of marine and other sciences into a seems that some (or even many) tasks of new marine applied science, which can be con­ ensuring the high efficiency of human activities sidered as ‘ marine geomatics (hydromatics)' at sea will be taken over by commercial hydro- whose objective is to deal with all aspects of graphic and marine geophysical institutions gathering and processing hydrographic data and providing all users of sea with all kinds of One further and final conclusion regarding the hydrographic information most probable changes of hydrographic institu­ 3. Hydrography is being transformed to a higher tions. level of development which subject has been The main objective of governmental and/or govern- defined by the third definition of this term ment-authorised hydrographic institutions would be 4. However, hydrography’s means and methods, enabling and ensuring the navigational safety of all to a higher and higher degree, will also be human activities being realised at sea as well as acquired and used by other branches of marine enabling and facilitating the environment and natu­ sciences, e.g. marine geophysics and others, ral resources protection and coastal-zone manage­ which will also try to take over a part of hydro: ment. However, the tasks regarding the enabling graphy’s tasks, especially these which regard and ensuring high efficiency of human activities to ensuring the high efficiency of human activi­ realised at sea will be in higher and higher degree ties being realised at sea carried out by commercial hydrographic and marine geophysical institutions. The last ones seem to be Hydrography, being a branch of applied science, is much more effective and competitive. also a type of human activity. This activity is carried out by proper governmental or civil institutions (offices, services, bureaux, etc.). The mentioned Conclusions changes of human activities as well as expected scientific and technological progress - will also In the above paper, the authors' opinions are pre­ result in changes of hydrographic institutions, i.e. sented regarding the subject of hydrography, its their tasks, organization, etc. It seems that the fol­ present state and the most likely trends of its lowing changes are evident and unavoidable: change. The fast development of computer, infor­ mation and space sciences and technologies 1. Hydrographic institutions dealing now mainly resulted in major changes of all kinds of human with the tasks of ‘nautical hydrography’ will activities, but mainly these activities, which deal integrate with other institutions participating in with information acquisition, its processing, and ensuring the navigational safety of all sea users providing users with the updated information. Such as well as with these which participate in ensur­ kind of activity is just hydrography. The process of ing the maritime safety, but especially with envi­ hydrography changing and its adaptation to the ronment and natural-resources’ protection and new conditions and requirements will be continued. coastal zone management. An example of this Some further changes in hydrography seem to be tendency is the existence of Federal Maritime evident. The authors tried to guess only these less and Hydrographic Agency of Germany. There are evident. However, the authors are aware that their many reasons, which justify such process conclusions stated in this paper may be and 2. It becomes evident that in crude oil and gas should be considered only as very approximate. exploration and exploitation industries as well as in other marine industries, new services (mainly the geophysical ones) are coming into References existence. They carry out all tasks (including gathering, processing and provision with not Hydrographic Dictionary (1994). IHO Special only hydrographic but also with all other kinds Publication No 32, Monaco. Kopacz 1., Urbanski J. (1994) The information now he is working in the Institute of Navigation and cycle in the system of the sea bottom surveying (in Hydrography of Naval University. For many years, Polish). Research projekt: BATYMETRIA, Gdynia Head of the Research Department of Navigational and Hydrographic Support, and Director of the Kopacz Z., Morgas W., Urbanski J. (1997). Institute. Fields of educational and research activi­ Bathymetric Information, its formulation process ty: maritime navigation; hydrography; navigational and the elements thereof. Geodezja i Kartografia. and hydrographical support; establishing and oper­ t. XLVI, z. 1 - 2 ation of aids to navigation; and navigation assis­ tance systems. Kopacz 1., Morgas W., Urbanski J. (1998). The process of creation of the bathymetric information Waclaw Morgas, Ph.D. and professor of Naval in the terms of the set theory. The International University of Gdynia. Born in 1947. Graduated from Hydrographic Review, March the Higher Naval School in 1969, and from Naval Academy in Leningrad in 1976. Since 1976 until Kopacz Z., Morgas W., Urbanski J. (2001). The now he is working in the Institute of Navigation and Maritime Safety System, its main components and Hydrography of Naval University. For many years, elements. The Journal of Navigation. No 2 Head of the Department of Ships Equipment and Systems. Since 2000, Director of Institute. Fields Kopacz Z., Morgas W., Urbanski J. (2001) The nav­ of educational and research activity: maritime nav­ igational and hydrographical provision of ships’ igation; ships equipment and systems; navigation­ special tasks. Its state and development tenden­ al and hydrographical support; surveying equip­ cies. Geodezja i Kartografia. t. L, z-1 ment and systems; and automation and computer­ isation of hydrographic works. Monahan D., Hecht H., Wells D., Kenny M. R., Campos A. (2001). Challenges and Opportunities Jozef Urbanski, Ph.D. and professor, Born in 1929. for Hydrography in the New Century. International Graduated from the Naval School in 1951 and from Hydrographic Review, No 3 Naval Academy in Leningrad, in 1959. Since 1959 to 1984 he worked in Naval University of Gdynia as Urbanski J. (2001). Data-set structure, the kinds, Head of the Chair of Navigation and later, as and scope of information in Polish maritime areas Director of the Institute of Navigation and (in Polish). Research project: STREFA, Gdynia Hydrography. For six years, he worked beyond the University. Since 1990 until now, he is again work­ ing in the Institute. Fields of the educational and Biographies research activity: maritime navigation; navigational and hydrographical support; safety of navigation; Zdzislaw Kopacz, Ph.D. and professor of Naval and maritime safety. University of Gdynia. Born in 1940. Graduated from the Naval Higher School in 1964. Since 1968 until E-mail: [email protected]