TopoMiller
🌊 Ocean Bathymetry
TopoMiller now supports global ocean bathymetry, allowing you to create 3D carvings of underwater terrain including ocean trenches, submarine canyons, seamounts, and continental shelves.
Automatic Detection: When you select a coastal region that extends into the ocean, TopoMiller automatically fetches high-quality SRTM15+ bathymetry data and merges it with land elevation data for a seamless terrain model.
Data Source: SRTM15+ V2.5.5
Ocean floor data is provided by SRTM15+ V2.5.5 from OpenTopography, one of the highest-quality global bathymetry datasets available. It combines:
- 33.6+ million multibeam and singlebeam depth soundings
- GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans) data
- Satellite altimetry for areas without direct measurements
- SRTM land topography for seamless land-ocean transitions
Resolution
~450 meters (15 arc-seconds)
Coverage
All oceans worldwide
Depth Range
0m to -11,000m (Mariana Trench)
Data Format
GeoTIFF via OpenTopography API
Source: OpenTopography SRTM15+
Featured Ocean Locations
These locations showcase dramatic underwater terrain that makes excellent 3D carvings:
Deep Ocean Trenches
Mariana Trench
Depth: ~11,000m | Deepest point on Earth
Location: Western Pacific, near Guam
Puerto Rico Trench
Depth: ~8,380m | Deepest in Atlantic Ocean
Location: North of Puerto Rico
Japan Trench
Depth: ~8,000m | Major Pacific subduction zone
Location: East of Japan
Tonga Trench
Depth: ~10,800m | Second deepest trench
Location: South Pacific, near Tonga
Submarine Canyons
Monterey Bay Canyon
Depth: ~3,600m | "Underwater Grand Canyon"
Location: Central California coast
Hudson Canyon
Depth: ~1,500m | Largest on US East Coast
Location: Off New York/New Jersey
Congo Canyon
Depth: ~1,100m | Largest in Africa
Location: Off Democratic Republic of Congo
Nazare Canyon
Depth: ~5,000m | Famous for giant waves
Location: Off Portugal
Volcanic Seamounts & Island Chains
Hawaiian Islands Chain
Rise: ~5,000m from ocean floor
Volcanic hotspot trail extending NW
Canary Islands
Rise: ~4,000m from ocean floor
Location: Off Morocco, Atlantic Ocean
Azores
Mid-Atlantic Ridge volcanic islands
Location: Central North Atlantic
Iceland
Mid-Atlantic Ridge surface expression
Location: North Atlantic
Continental Shelves & Margins
Gulf of Mexico
Depth: 0 to ~3,800m | Clear shelf edge
Dramatic transition from shelf to deep basin
Great Barrier Reef
Complex coral platform bathymetry
Location: Northeast Australia
North Sea
Depth: ~100m average | Shallow shelf sea
Location: Between UK and Europe
Bahamas Banks
Shallow carbonate platforms
Dramatic drop-offs to deep water
How It Works
- Select a coastal region - Draw a selection box that extends from land into the ocean
- Automatic ocean detection - TopoMiller analyzes the elevation data and detects:
- Deep ocean cells (below -50m)
- Shallow coastal water (-5m to -50m)
- Coastal areas near sea level
- SRTM15+ bathymetry fetch - High-quality ocean floor data is retrieved via server API
- Intelligent merging - Land elevation (USGS/AW3D30) is preserved while ocean areas receive SRTM15+ bathymetry with smooth shoreline blending
- 3D preview & export - View the combined terrain and export CNC-ready STL files
Tips for Best Results
Selection Size
For dramatic ocean features, select larger regions (50-100km). SRTM15+ resolution of ~450m captures large-scale features best.
Include Land
Include some coastline in your selection to provide context and show the dramatic transition from land to deep ocean.
Vertical Exaggeration
Ocean depths can exceed 10km. Use vertical exaggeration in STL export settings to make underwater features more visible in your carving.
Deep vs Shallow
Deep trenches show dramatic depth variation. Shallow shelf seas show subtle features that may require more exaggeration.
Note: SRTM15+ resolution (~450m) is designed for large-scale ocean features. Very small coastal selections may not show significant underwater detail. For best results, include at least 20-30km of ocean area in your selection.