Topographic analysis of bathymetry data acquired from the KR1 area of Northeastern Pacific: Application of wavelet-based filter

Abstract

2-D wavelet analysis is applied to bathymetric data from the KR1 area of Korea Deepsea Mining Area. The wavelet analysis is one of the quantitative methods to analyze the topography. The wavelet allows us to create filters to select for topography in a continuous variety of shapes, sizes, and orientation. The 2-D Linear B-spline filter, 100 BS and 100 NF, is convolved with bathymetric data to identify the location of abyssal hills and abyssal troughs in bathymetry. In addition, the 2-D derivative of Cubic B-spline filter, 60 BS and 60 NF, is applied to bathymetric data to find the slope of abyssal hill in bathymetry. These filters were rotated 5° counterclockwise from NS to match the dominant orientation of seafloor lineament. Both filters result in good match with abyssal hills, troughs, and slopes. This method can apply to fault, fold, and other lineament structures., description with variable size. The result of application shows that wavelet analysis of bathymitiic data could be used with fundamental data of geophysical analysis.