Despite my plans that the November 2014 edition would be my last as Editor, as it turns out, my role as Editor continues. This edition comprises several articles and notes.
The first article from China provides a technical solution to improving multi-beam bathymetry by using seafloor terrain distortion and modelling to correct sound velocity measurements. As multibeam technology is in wide use, following proper processes should minimise errors during field collection. However, this is sometimes not possible and this paper provides a thoughtful process to improve survey results when field operations don’t quite proceed according to plan.
The second paper describes a new approach to the problem of handling the multitude of hydrographic survey data formats. Anyone who has dealt with digital survey formats will appreciate the difficulties with managing various data structures, version control, metadata, data re-formatting and so on. Staff from the University of New Hampshire, USA, have developed a XML-based Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language (HUDDL) and a set of utilities to assist with data access, cataloguing, version control, etc. The authors intend this suite of tools to be an open, community-led initiative.
Prior to 2000, the Australian Hydrographic Service (AHS) was a leader in the evolutionary development of digital technology to improve charting and data management. With the introduction of a Digital Hydrographic Database (DHDB) solution in 2000, developed under a more structured major Defence capability process, the reality of the technology capability and the organisation re-structure did not meet the expectations of the total grand solution. In 2011, the AHS commenced evolutionary sustainment processes to refresh and incrementally re-build the technology capability in alignment with the AHS business using an Enterprise Architecture (EA) approach. The third article describes this approach and its impact across the whole of the organization.
Included in our Notes section are two papers. The first paper is an account from Chile on their experiences with trying to find a small airplane that went missing and assumed to have crashed into the sea. Whilst their search was un-successful, they identify key processes and capabilities required to undertake a search operation. Our final note is a tribute to an esteemed colleague, Mike Eaton. I had the pleasure to be involved with Mike’s work in the early 1990s through the IHO ECDIS working groups. Australia along with several other HOs and private companies contributed to the S-52 Presentation Library work led by Mike. The current ECDIS capability is in part, a direct result of his professionalism and steadfast resolve to ensure electronic chart information is presented efficiently and effectively to the mariner. He was a true pioneer of the ECDIS technology and his legacy will continue for a long time.
On behalf of the Editorial Board, I hope that this edition is of interest to you. Thank you to the authors for your contributions and to my colleagues who provided peer reviews for the Articles in this edition.
Ian W. Halls
Editor