Mapping of ocean sediments, by networks of parallel interpolating units

A method for interpolating sparse measurements of ocean sediment properties by means of a network of parallel computational units is proposed. The network is able to generate a continuous mapping. of sediment properties as a function of x-y-z position, where z is the depth in the sediment, using a generalized radial basis function expansion. Advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed, both from a physical and a computational viewpoint. An example with sediment density data obtained from sparse core measurements in a region of the Mediterranean sea is presented