Author(s): Luc Desjardins; Dean Flett; Lt. William Woityra; Kelley Dodge
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Abstract: The CIS (CIS), a division within the Meteorological Service, and the International Ice Patrol (IIP) of the US Coast Guard, take joint responsibility for monitoring icebergs off North America’s east coast. Iceberg information is provided primarily to promote safe navigation of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean during the period when danger of iceberg collision exists. The primary means by which the CIS and IIP acquire data is through airborne reconnaissance from fixed wing aircraft. Other data come from iceberg sightings from ship and shore observations of opportunity. Data from all sources are integrated manually at each center into the Berg Analysis and Prediction System (BAPS), a synchronized database of the current observed and/or modeldrifted locations of all known icebergs. Over the last decade, the CIS and IIP in conjunction with C-CORE, have been investigating the use of satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to detect icebergs. Based on hundreds of SAR images and field observations of icebergs (and vessels) collected over the last 10 years, C-CORE has developed (and continues to enhance and improve) the Iceberg Detection Software (IDS) which automatically detects potential iceberg targets in SAR imagery. Output from the IDS is quality assessed by expert analysts at C-CORE and standard MANICE (Manual of Ice Reporting) coded messages are generated and transmitted to the CIS and IIP. The SAR-derived target information is then reconciled against and integrated manually with the current BAPS database. Presently, this information is being used on a semi-operational basis, nominally twice per month. In addition, annual iceberg surveys are done in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait in the fall (October) using SAR imagery to obtain an estimate of the iceberg population expected to drift down the east coast the following year. The goal of this work is to complement and perhaps eventually replace the costly airborne surveillance programs with satellite SAR monitoring. However, there still remain several challenges and issues to be taken into consideration when using the SAR-derived iceberg information. In this paper, we discuss the pros and cons and describe the steps being taken to bring information from the SAR imagery and the IDS into an operational environment.
Year: 2008