Bathymetric surveys from SAR satellite images using wavelets

When waves propagate in coastal areas they sufer changes in the wavelength and wave direction resulting from the interaction with the sea bottom. In SAR images, the waves can be identify through variations in the gray tones of the image, making it possible to infer the bathymetry from the variations in the wavelength. Commonly, the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is used to estimate the wavelength in domains close to the coast, recognizing, however, that this method has some limitations, mainly for small depths. To overcome the limitations of FFT, this work uses wavelet spectral analysis to estimate bathymetric data. The new image processing methodology shows positive and promising results for mapping shallow marine environments.