San Diego Bathymetry Visualization

The San Diego Harbor Visualization illustrates the use of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Digital Nautical Chart (DNC) source data within TerraTools to automatically construct visualizations of complex underwater and marine bathymetric environments. TerraTools comes with extensive data processing in the OmniWizard to support the VPF format family (VMAP, DTOP, DNC, UVMAP), as well as DFAD, DTED, CIB, and other data sources. This means that construction of basic port facilities is highly automated and rapid. In addition to a visual database, a correlated CTDB was constructed to support the JFCOM JSAF runtime.

The San Diego visualization includes navigational buoys, parametrically constructed with bridges, which were added to the DNC source data, an underwater surface compiled from bathymetric data and seamlessly integrated with the above-ground terrain skin, as well as graphically-illustrated maritime hazard zones.

Using TerraTools model placement and feature editing tools, buoys were placed on the ocean surface, and maritime hazard zones were delineated based on depth curve information. TerraTools used the hazard zone boundaries to construct semi-transparent colored "fences" around the zones, providing a useful graphic visualization of shallows and underwater obstacles for navigation training.

Click here to see a fly-through of the San Diego Bathymetry database.

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