Title: BathMalta
Start date: 1 Octrober 2022
End date: 30 June 2023
Coordinator: Prof. Aaron Micallef, Dr Adam Gauci
This project entails the use of satellite systems, in particular SENTINEL2 and SENTINEL3 from the European space program Copernicus, to retrieve detailed images of the seafloor in the nearshore and coastal areas of Malta, with an average maximum depth of 25 to 30 m. Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) has been supporting hydrographic surveys for the last 30 years, but it is only in the last decade that there has been the most rigorous scientific development. Satellite derived bathymetry is cost-effective because it avoids the use of large vessels in shallow areas where surveys are unpractical.
The methodology put in place by the research team exploits the penetration depth of light in the water column to reconstruct the depth of the seafloor (bathymetry) and its morphology. This type of work benefits from machine learning techniques and from the collaboration with European earth observation specialists from research and industry.
Local companies and agencies will benefit from the outcome of this research since it supports work and commercial operations in the areas of Malta that are characterised by shallow depth (e.g. Valletta Harbour). End Members users that are directly involved in this project are Transport Malta (Hydrographic Office), Continental Shelf Department, and a local consultancy firm ‘AquaBiotech Group’
