Research Interests

Ocean Mapping

Bathymetric Model Compilation

I am working on the development of new algorithms for the compilation of digital bathymetric models, and their applications in geology and geophysics. Within the framework of the recently established IBCNA (International Bathymetric Chart of the North Atlantic) initiative, this will eventually lead to a new bathymetric model of the North Atlantic.

Why an new model of the North Atlantic?

The ocean-wide or global bathymetry models used today have (with the exception of the recent IBCAO, the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean) serious drawbacks due to their age or the technology used: ETOPO2 either based mostly on satellite altimetry, and the GEBCO dataset is rather outdated being based on digitized contours from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Since then, with the advent of Multibeam mapping, a huge amount of exciting high-resolution data of the ocean bottom topography has been gathered, which is not reflected in the consistent, large-scale models yet.

Of all oceans, the North Atlantic is arguably the best-mapped. However, the observations are unevenly distributed and highly disparate, having been gathered over many decades for a variety of purposes and with positioning and sounding technologies evolving over the years. Together the observations form an incoherent but large database featuring a tremendous variability in accuracy, resolution and coverage. This makes the North Atlantic a perfect test region for studying scientific hypothesis in the fields of compilation and geoscientific usage of DBMs.

Models of the ocecan's bathymetry are needed for a variety of purposes, such as:

• providing a regional physiographic context for geoscientific investigations
• assessing constrints to ocean circulation
• examining evidence of sedimentation and tectonism
• mapping habitats for biodiversity studies
• planning future surveys and field operations
• assessing the vulnerability of coastal areas to tsunami damage
• identifying slpes and rise areas susceptible to hazardous failures such as slumps, slides and turbidity currents
• evaluating the effects of long-term sea-level changes

Marine Geophysics

Until 2004 (during my Master's studies) I was mostly working within marine seismics. My Master's thesis was about a seismic processing task (depth migration and Common Reflection Surface stacking).