Describes the latest remote sensing technologies used to detect ice hazards in the marine environment; map surface currents, sea-state and surface winds; study ice dynamics, over ice transportation, oil spill countermeasures, climate changes and ice reconnaisance. Includes such technologies as acoustic sensing, ice-thickness measurement, passive microwave remote sensing, ground wave and surface-based radars.

Remote Sensing of Sea Ice in the Northern Sea Route: Studies and Applications initially provides a history of the Northern Sea Route as an important strategic transport route for supporting the northern regions of Russia and cargo transportation between Europe and the Northern Pacific Basin. The authors then describe sea ice conditions in the Eurasian Arctic Seas and, using microwave satellite data, provide a detailed analysis of difficult sea ice conditions. Remote sensing techniques and the basic principles of SAR image formation are described, as well as the major satellite radar systems used for ice studies in the Arctic. The authors take a good look at the use of sensing equipment in experiments, including the ICE WATCH project used for monitoring the Northern Sea Route. The possibilities of using SAR remote sensing for ice navigation in the Northern Sea Route is also detailed, analysing techniques of automatic image processing and interpretation. A study is provided of regional drifting ice, fast ice and river ice in the coastal areas of the Arctic Seas. The book concludes with a review of the practical experience using SAR images for supporting navigation and offshore industrial activity, based on a series of experiments conducted with the Murmansk Shipping Company on board nuclear icebreakers.

Many advances in spaceborne instrumentation, remote sensing, and data analysis have occurred in recent years, but until now there has been no book that reflects these advances while delivering a uniform treatment of the remote sensing of frozen regions. Remote Sensing of Snow and Ice identifies unifying themes and ideas in these fields and presents them in a single volume. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the remote sensing of the Earth’s cryosphere. Explaining why cryospheric observations are important and why remote sensing observations are essential, it offers thorough surveys of the physical properties of ice and snow, and of current and emerging remote sensing techniques. Presenting a technical review of how the properties of snow and ice relate to remote sensing observations, the book focuses on principles by which useful geophysical information becomes encoded into the electromagnetic radiation detected during the remote sensing process. The author then discusses in detail the application of remote sensing methods to snow, freshwater ice, glaciers, and icebergs. The book concludes with a summary that examines what remote sensing has revealed about the cryosphere, where major technical problems still exist, and how these problems can be addressed.

Remote sensing using aircraft and satellites has helped to open up to intensified scientific scrutiny the cold and remote regions in which snow and ice are prevalent. In this book, the utility of remote sensing for identifying, mapping and analyzing surface and subsurface properties of worldwide ice and snow features is described. Emphasis is placed on the use of remote sensing for developing an improved understanding of the physical properties of ice and snow and understanding the interrelationships of cryospheric processes with atmospheric, hydrospheric and oceanic processes. Current and potential applications of remotely sensed data are also stressed. At present, all-weather, day and night observations of the polar regions can be obtained from sensors operating in different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because the approaches for analysis of remotely sensed data are not straightforward, Chapter 1 serves to introduce the reader to some of the optical, thermal and electrical properties of ice and snow as they pertain to remote sensing. In Chapter 2 we briefly describe many of the sensors and platforms that are referred to in the rest of the book. The remaining chapters deal with remote sensing of the seasonal snow cover, lake and river ice, permafrost, glacier ice and sea ice.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 68. Human activities in the polar regions have undergone incredible changes in this century. Among these changes is the revolution that satellites have brought about in obtaining information concerning polar geophysical processes. Satellites have flown for about three decades, and the polar regions have been the subject of their routine surveillance for more than half that time. Our observations of polar regions have evolved from happenstance ship sightings and isolated harbor icing records to routine global records obtained by those satellites. Thanks to such abundant data, we now know a great deal about the ice-covered seas, which constitute about 10% of the Earth's surface. This explosion of information about sea ice has fascinated scientists for some 20 years. We are now at a point of transition in sea ice studies; we are concerned less about ice itself and more about its role in the climate system. This change in emphasis has been the prime stimulus for this book.

Sea Ice: Physics and Remote Sensing addresses experiences acquired mainly in Canada by researchers in the fields of ice physics and growth history in relation to its polycrystalline structure as well as ice parameters retrieval from remote sensing observations. The volume describes processes operating at the macro- and microscale (e.g., brine entrapment in sea ice, crystallographic texture of ice types, brine drainage mechanisms, etc.). The information is supported by high-quality photographs of ice thin-sections prepared from cores of different ice types, all obtained by leading experts during field experiments in the 1970s through the 1990s, using photographic cameras and scanning microscopy. In addition, this volume presents techniques to retrieve a suite of sea ice parameters (e.g. ice type, concentration, extent, thickness, surface temperature, surface deformation, etc.) from space-borne and airborne sensor data. The breadth of the material on this subject is designed to appeal to researchers and users of remote sensing data who want to develop quick familiarity with the capabilities of this technology or detailed knowledge about major techniques for retrieval of key ice parameters. Volume highlights include: Detailed crystallographic classification of natural sea ice, the key information from which information about ice growth conditions can be inferred. Many examples are presented with material to support qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the data. Methods developed for revealing microstructural characteristics of sea ice and performing forensic investigations. Data sets on radiative properties and satellite observations of sea ice, its snow cover, and surrounding open water. Methods of retrieval of ice surface features and geophysical parameters from remote sensing observations with a focus on critical issues such as the suitability of different sensors for different tasks and data synergism. Sea Ice: Physics and Remote Sensing is intended for a variety of sea ice audiences interested in different aspects of ice related to physics, geophysics, remote sensing, operational monitoring, mechanics, and cryospheric sciences.

Summarizes state-of-the-art sensor technologies for remote sensing of sea ice and icebergs off Canada's east coast. The study included four tasks: determination of offshore operator needs with regard to sea ice detection; a comprehensive review of available sensors; description of the main technologies involved; and evaluation of the reviewed sensors in relation to the operator needs. The study report includes a summary of operator needs for east coast operating scenarios (oil production and exploratory drilling); descriptions of individual sensors in a common format, including radars, passive microwave sensors, acoustic systems, optical systems, and other sensors; a matrix of sensors versus needs, for each scenario; and a summary of suggested systems for each scenario. In addition, the report summarizes marine communications systems of relevance.