Adaptive Wave Tracing for Coastal Bathymetry Estimation

Wave-based estimation of coastal bathymetry from satellite images is challenging because it often implies relying on ancillary data. Moreover, spatial resolution remains coarse compared to the image resolution because state-of-the-art wave analysis techniques decompose images into large-size patches. The method proposed here is based on adaptive wave tracing where the patch size depends on the wavelength observed. Waves are tracked from the open sea to the coast. When the waves approach the coast, their wavelength decreases and so does the patch size. Combining this method with linear wave theory leads to improved water depth estimation. Furthermore, with wave tracing we are also able to compute the wave period, allowing the estimation of water depth without resorting to ancillary data.