Comparing the performance of two spatial interpolation methods for creating a digital bathymetric model of the Yucatan submerged platform

Abstract

Bathymetry is one of the most conspicuous variables to consider in any study involving marine environments. In developing countries, accurate and up to date bathymetric charts are rare or in most cases limited to local areas, most of them available only in hardcopy format. This is the case of the Yucatan submerged platform. In this study, we compare and discuss the performance of two spatial interpolation techniques for creating a digital bathymetric model (DBM): Inverse distance functions and Kriging. The DBM for Yucatan Peninsula submerged platform was generated using 2650 depth point- data values digitized from navigational charts previously published by the Mexican Secretaria de Marina at a 1:850,000 scale. The exponential Kriging model produced the most accurate estimates, reducing the error in 18.2% compared with the inverse distance functions. Our results might become helpful to other researchers trying to decide the type of interpolation technique and selection of the model when elaborating digital elevation models for regional mapping purposes.