Satellite-Derived Bathymetry for Timor-Leste Nearshore Habitats

NOAA's Coral Reef Ecosystem Program provides satellite-derived bathymetric data for the nearshore terrain along the northern coastline of Timor-Leste, including Oecusse district and Atauro Island. The dataset offers high-resolution (2 m) depth estimates derived from multispectral WorldView-2 satellite imagery collected between January 2010 and August 2014. Depth values for waters shallower than approximately 20 meters were calculated using a multiple linear regression model analyzing coastal, blue, green, and yellow spectral band attenuation.

Use Cases

• Modeling coastal erosion and sediment transport using nearshore depth gradients.
• Mapping potential coral reef and seagrass habitats by identifying shallow, sunlit seabed areas.
• Planning marine protected area boundaries based on detailed underwater topography.
• Calibrating hydrodynamic models with spatially continuous bathymetric data.
• Assessing coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise using detailed inshore depth profiles.

Strengths

• Provides near-complete nearshore coverage for a specific region (northern Timor-Leste coastline).
• Uses high-resolution (2 m) multispectral satellite imagery from WorldView-2.
• Applies a statistically validated method involving multiple linear regression of four spectral bands.

Limitations

• Depth derivation is limited to approximately 20 meters and assumes uniform water clarity, which is often violated.
• Conflicting temporal coverage exists: one source states imagery from 2010-02-09 to 2013-10-02, while others cite a range from Jan 26, 2010, to August 10, 2014.
• Accuracy can be skewed by biotic material or sediment in the water column, affecting depth estimates.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP).

Collection Method

Depth derived via multiple linear regression analysis of coastal, blue, green, and yellow band spectral values from WorldView-2 imagery, processed with ENVI and ArcGIS.

Time Range

2010-01-26 to 2014-08-10

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:27:42.486401

Geography

Nearshore terrain along the northern coastline of Timor-Leste, including the district of Oecusse and Atauro Island.