Hydrography, the measurement of physical characteristics of waters and marginal land
In the United States, the hydrographic charting function has been carried out since 1807 by the Office of Coast Survey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Kirkby Shoal was discovered and charted in 1962 during a hydrographic survey of Newcomb Bay and approaches by d'A.T. Gale, hydrographic surveyor with the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) on the MV Thala Dan, led by Phillip Law.
He joined the Navy in 1973, and trained in Basic Hydrography in India and in Hydrographic Engineering, Oceanography and Marine Environment in the Naval Oceanographic Office, United States in 1976.
Besides the Danube, which defines the hydrography of the area, the Osam river and some minor rivers flow within the municipality.
Born to a family of rich merchants, Forfait studied at a Jesuit college in Rouen, where he was awarded prizes in Mathematics and Hydrography upon graduation.
He trained as a hydrographic engineer, working for the navy, but developed scholarly and political interests, becoming a specialist in Egyptology and being active in leftist politics.
Initially released in 2000, SODA included data from the 1994 World Ocean Atlas (WOA-94) such as MBT, XBT, CTD and station data; hydrography, SST, and altimeter measured sea level; as well as data from NODC, NCEP, and TOGA-TAO.