Mine littoral threat zone visualization program

A method for visually representing a geographical area in terms of explosive threat such as mine threat to marine navigation, said method comprising:

• obtaining data pertaining to said geographical area from a geographical database, said data including information pertaining to the terrain of said geographical area;
• choosing at least one safe-depth, each said safe-depth at least approximately being the maximum marine depth beyond which a contemplated mine threat to a contemplated marine vessel is considered negligible;
• and
• graphically displaying said geographical area as indicative of mine threat sectionalization as a function of at least one said safe-depth, said mine threat sectionalization including at least one type of zone selected from the group consisting of land mass zone, mine threat zone and mine safety zone, said mine threat zone being at least substantially characterized by a marine bed which is shallower than said safe-depth, said mine safety zone being at least substantially characterized by a marine bed which is deeper than said safe-depth.

A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor for implementing graph display management on a user interface display screen, said computer program product enabling visual representation of a geographical area in terms of explosive threat such as mine threat to marine navigation, said computer program product comprising:

• a recording medium;
• means, recorded on said recording medium, for obtaining data pertaining to said geographical area from a geographical database, said data including information pertaining to the terrain of said geographical area;
• means, recorded on said recording medium, for choosing at least one safe-depth, each said safe-depth at least approximately being the maximum marine depth beyond which a mine threat to a contemplated marine vessel is considered negligible;
• and
• means, recorded on said recording medium, for graphically displaying said geographical area as indicative of mine threat sectionalization as a function of at least one said safe-depth, said mine threat sectionalization including at least one type of zone selected from the group consisting of land mass zone, mine threat zone and mine safety zone, said mine threat zone being at least substantially characterized by a marine bed which is shallower than said safe-depth, said mine safety zone being at least substantially characterized by a marine bed which is deeper than said safe-depth.

Apparatus comprising processing means, said processing means having a memory, said processing means containing a data representation pertaining to water mine hazard posed to navigation, said data representation being generated, for availability for containment by said processing means, by the method comprising:

• selecting a region which includes at least one body of water;
• accessing information relating to the topography of said region;
• and
• in relation to said at least one body of water, selecting a water depth below which said water mine hazard is considered an insignificant water mine hazard and above which said water mine hazard is considered a significant water mine hazard.

A system for visualizing navigational risk associated with water mine capability which may exist in a geographical region which includes water, said system comprising:

• means for accessing information relating to the topography of said region;
• means for selecting a delimitative depth of said water, wherein at water mine situation depths greater than said delimitative depth said navigational risk is deemed an inconsequential risk, and wherein at water mine situation depths lesser than said delimitative depth said navigational risk is deemed a consequential risk;
• and
• means for displaying a map of said region, wherein said map illustrates at least one of said inconseqential risk and said consequential risk, and wherein when said map illustrates both of said inconsequential risk and said consequential risk, said map illustrates said inconsequential risk and said consequential risk in contrast to each other.