Background
Over the past few years, the ice shelves of the northernmost islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago have undergone dramatic recession, breaking off massive pieces of ice. These form tabular Ice Islands like the one shown above, which drift southwest in the Beaufort Gyre. Little is known about their drift patterns, velocities, sizes, shapes and patterns of breakup or growth over the years they drift in the Gyre. Nothing is known yet about such features from similar ice shelves in northern Greenland. Upon calving from ice shelves, such features are many tens of km2 in area and up to 60 m thick. As they break up, it appears that fragments can become incorporated into Multiyear Hummock Fields (MHYFs), massive features of ice that also drift south in the Gyre. A major location for the formation of MHYFs is the pressure ridges and shear zone offshore the southwestern islands in the Archipelago.
Importance
The size, number of fragments and difficulty in spotting Ice Islands and MHYFs, present major hazards to offshore petroleum operations in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas.
Purpose of Study
Canatec is undertaking a 2 year study of both features, from June 2009 to June 2011. We are tracking them from their formation to the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, using satellite beacons to measure drift patterns and velocities. RadarSat images are acquired and analyzed to measure features and understand processes of breakup.
Participants
Several petroleum companies and a government agency are funding this project, with equal share amounts. Other participants are welcome to join as partners.
Team
Canatec is leading this project. We are being assisted by the Canadian Ice Service, which is providing ice images.
Reports
- Deployment Report (conditions of targets and emplacing of beacons in June/ July 2009).
- First Report (analyses drift and features from June to December 2009, plus size distributions).
- Second Report (similar analysis, but Jan. through May 2010, plus processes of decay).
- Analysis of monthly imaging from June to October 2010 plus clustering and dispersion of fragments, followed by Third Report.
- Analysis of dynamics under second year freeze-up and winter conditions, in June 2011 and Final Synthesis of all previous data and analysis.
Data Outputs
Canatec’s confidential project website has live tracks of beacons, where partners can download the data sets. All analyzed satellite images are available at high resolution.
RadarSat image of Ice Island fragments in pack
Track of beacon signal on Ice Island drifting southwest
Project Meetings
September 2009, September 2010 and July 2011, in Canatec’s Calgary offices. At the 2 first meetings, proponents discuss the data and analysis presented by Canatec, and can guide next stage activities.
Use of Proceeds
Funding from new partners will be used to extend the project in a manner agreed to by all the partners.
Purchasing
$68,000 US per share. Contact Svetlana Machurina at +1 403 228 0962. Current partners have final say on new participants.
Canatec
A global leader in sea ice studies and operations, with 30 years experience in consulting around the world. We support operations 24/7 of vessels and platforms in ice, with integrated teams of ice observers, ice pilots and satellite image analysts. We make software for statistical analysis of sea ice occurrence and drift forecasting, and ice drift beacons for remote polar applications. Canatec trains Ice Observers for ships and platforms.
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