OAML Feathering Algorithm Overview

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) is developing a new version of its Digital Bathymetric Data Base - Variable Resolution (DBDB-V) data product that will include the Oceanographic and Atmospheric Master Library (OAML) Feathering Algorithm. As a crucial source of historical bathymetry for models and tactical decision aids, DBDB-V is a collection of individual grids with varying resolutions that together provide global ocean floor depth values in a tiled database format. Since DBDB-V consists of grids that have been developed independently over a long period of time, it may be based on input data of significantly varying quantity and quality. When data are extracted across grids of different resolutions, artifacts often occur at the grid boundaries that have a negative visual impact and varying degrees of impact on environmental models. The OAML Feathering Algorithm has been developed to alleviate these artificial bathymetric discontinuities while new variable resolution grid structures are considered as replacements to DBDB-V s rectangular grid structure. In this report, the details of the algorithm's integration into DBDB-V are documented along with specific test cases from DBDB-V version 4.1 level 0 data. The original document contains color images.