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IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book

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A technical reference manual on how to build bathymetric grids

Access the GEBCO Cook Book PDF from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Laboratory for Satellite AltimetryGEBCO aims to provide the most authoritative publicly available bathymetric data sets for the world's oceans.

In order to assist and encourage further participation in bathymetric grid development work, GEBCO has created a technical reference manual, the IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book, on how to build bathymetric grids.

Access a copy of the IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book as a PDF from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry's web site.

A wide range of topics are included, for example

  • gathering data
  • data cleaning
  • gridding examples
  • software overviews

The IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book includes input from a number of individuals and organisations, all of whom are experts in their respective fields.

Originally released in October 2012, find out what’s new in the latest (October 2019) release.

The IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book is maintained and made available by Chief Editor, Ms. Christiane Reiser.

Publication citation

The citation for this publication is: International Hydrographic Organization, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, The IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book, IHO Publication B-11, Monaco, Sep. 2018, 416 pp - IOC Manuals and Guides 63, France, Sep. 2018, 429 pp

IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book update history

The IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book was originally released in October 2012. It is updated periodically as new contributions become available. The table below lists the updates to the IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book.

Release date Change
September 2018

New chapter added: Chapter 16.0 Finding Gaps to Map

This chapter presents two visualizations to help identify gaps in sounding coverage of the ocean floor as well as a GIS method for prioritizing how to fill the gaps.

16.1 - Google Earth Pro and SRTM30_PLUS Overlays

Contributors: David Sandwell, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA and Karen M. Marks, NOAA Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, USA

16.2 - Assessing Gaps via Bathymetric Sounding Density

Contributors: Meredith Westington, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, USA and Jesse Varner, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, USA

16.3 - A GIS Approach to Prioritizing the Gaps to Map

Contributors: Jennifer Jencks, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, USA and Anne-Cathrin Wölf, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Germany

December 2016

New sections added to Chapter 13

13.2 - Generation of useful layers and files in a BASE surface to ease data processing with CARIS (Version 9)

13.3 - Generation of a file in CARIS to distinguish areas with few soundings

Contributor: Lt. Commander Gustavo Adolfo Gomez-Pimpollo Crespo, Instituto Hidrografico de la Marina, Spain

July 2016

New chapter and new topic added: Chapter 15.0 - Map Digitizer Program Version 2.1.0

Contributor: Chaim Keller, The Chai Tables, Israel and John K. Hall, Geological Survey of Israel (Retired), Israel

December 2015

New chapter and new topic added: 13.0 Mosaics in CARIS

Contributor: Lt. Commander Gustavo Adolfo Gomez-Pimpollo Crespo, Instituto Hidrografico de la Marina, Spain

New chapter and new topic added: 14.0 Nautical Chart Adequacy

Contributors: A. Klemm and J. Nyberg , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA; S. Pe'eri and R. Wigley, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, USA; Limor Gur-Arieh, Survey of Israel, Israel; Y. Kamaruddin, National Hydrographic Center of Malaysia, Malaysia; A. Kimeli, H. Kurita, I.B. Prasetyawan, J. Roperez, N. Samarakoon, and M. Vallee, General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans; J-Y Roh, Korean Hydrographic and Oceanic Administration, Korea; J. Sydenham, United Kingdom Hydrographic, U.K

Chapter 8, Section 8.2.11, References regarding the "remove-restore" procedure have been updated.

Corrections contributed by: Peter Doucette, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, USA.

Chapter 11, "LANDSAT 8 Satellite-Derived Bathymetry" has been replaced with an updated version.

Contributors: S. Pe'eri,B. Madore and L. Alexander, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, USA, A. Klemm and A. Armstrong, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA, C. Parrish, Oregon State University, USA, C. Azuike, Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office Lagos, Nigeria, and Eunice N. Tetteh, Ghana National Oceanographic Data Centre, Ghana

September 2014

New chapter added: 12.0: Digital Terrain Map Editing (DTMediting V1.6)

Contributors: Chaim Keller, The Chai Tables, Israel and John K. Hall, Geological Survey of Israel (Retired), Israel

November 2013

Chapter 11.0 updated: LANDSAT 8 Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (replaces previous version: LANDSAT 7 Satellite-Derived Bathymetry)

Contributors: S. Pe’eri, B. Madore and L. Alexander, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, USA; C. Parrish and A. Armstrong; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA; C. Azuike, Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office Lagos, Nigeria and Eunice N. Tetteh, Ghana National Oceanographic Data Centre, Ghana

November 2013 Annex A: Additional Resources section updated
June 2013

Updates made to sections 2.1.1 Gridding XYZ Data with Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) and 2.2: Gridding XYZ Data with ArcMap

Contributor: Karolina Chorzewska, University of New Hampshire, USA

February 2013

New chapter added: 11.0 LANDSAT 7 Satellite-Derived Bathymetry

Contributors: S. Pe’eri, B. Madore and L. Alexander, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, USA; C. Parrish and A. Armstrong, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA and C. Azuike, Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office, Lagos, Nigeria

See November 2013 update above.

February 2013

New chapter added: 8.2.11 Gridding the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO) Version 3.0

Contributors: Martin Jakobsson, Benjamin Hell, and Rezwan Mohammad, Dept. of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Pauline Weatherall, British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC), Liverpool, UK and the IBCAO Compilation Team

February 2013 Addition made to contributors list