Topographic Mapping of Offshore Sandbank Tidal Flats Using the Waterline Detection Method: A Case Study on the Dongsha Sandbank of Jiangsu Radial Tidal Sand Ridges, China

The waterline detection method (WDM) based on satellite images is one of the most effective methods for constructing digital elevation models (DEMs) for tidal flats. The general practicability of the WDM has been demonstrated in previous studies for small areas. This article attempts to generate a DEM over a large offshore sandbank with a tidal flat area of more than 620 km2 by integrating the conventional WDM with a hydraulic model and multitemporal satellite images. For illustration purposes, a case study was conducted at the Dongsha sandbank, one of the largest sandbanks among the radial tidal sand ridges of Jiangsu Province, China. In this study, 34 multitemporal satellite images acquired at different tidal phases in 2006 were analyzed to detect the waterlines. The water level at each satellite overpass moment was simulated by a south Yellow Sea hydraulic model, and discrete waterline points were combined with the corresponding water levels to produce a topographic map. Compared with the DEM produced during the same period by the airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, the DEM derived from WDM effectively contains the average height error within 47 cm, which is satisfactory. All of these findings may be useful for researchers and local authorities, as the findings could be used as a reference for sandbank evolution research or to support environmental management, coast protection, and storm forecasting.