THTdatum

THTdatum is a conceptual data construct used to manage and reference time-stamped height measurements within geospatial and environmental sciences. The term describes a datum that links a vertical reference surface with a temporal reference, enabling the integration of elevation data across different measurement campaigns and time periods. In practice, THTdatum is discussed as a framework for aligning sea-level, topographic, and bathymetric data in a time-aware manner.

The data model behind THTdatum typically includes entries that contain a timestamp, a height value relative to a defined reference surface (such as a geoid or ellipsoid), spatial coordinates, and an uncertainty estimate. Additional metadata covers the measurement method, instrument, data source, and provenance. A THTdatum profile specifies how the height is computed, referenced, and transformed, and technologies such as NetCDF or HDF5 are commonly used to store and exchange data with rich metadata.

Applications of the concept span coastal monitoring, hydrological modeling, and long-term topographic change studies. By maintaining a consistent temporal and vertical frame of reference, THTdatum supports time-series analysis, change detection, and model validation for scenarios like sea-level rise, sedimentation, and subsidence.

Adoption of THTdatum is not standardized globally; it remains a topic of methodological discussion and pilot implementations in research and industry. Practical challenges include choosing a stable reference surface, defining compatible uncertainty budgets, and ensuring interoperability across institutions and data formats.

See also: vertical datum, geodetic datum, temporal database, NetCDF, HDF5.