Ice island occurrence on the Canadian East Coast

Ice islands are a major hazard for offshore structures and shipping on the Canadian East Coast. Calving rates and drift rates of ice islands for the two main sources of ice islands in Canadian waters, the Ellesmere Island Ice Shelves and the Petermann Glacier, are described using values from the literature and from satellite imagery. The Petermann Glacier, is of more importance as a hazard for the Canadian East Coast. Until recently, the position of the Petermann calving front fluctuated over time, with no significant trend. However in the year or two prior to the calving event of 2010, the calving front was unusually far into the fjord along the northeast side, and since the calving event, the calving front as a whole appears to be at a new minimum position. The Ellesmere Island Ice Shelves are of less importance as a hazard for the Canadian East Coast, since they produce ice islands that usually drift in the Arctic Ocean, but occasionally enter Nares Strait or the Canadian Archipelago. For the Ellesmere Ice Shelf between 66 and 79°W, the calved ice area per unit time has been relatively constant over the last 100 years, although the frequency of calving has varied over time. Fragments of ice islands from both areas that reach Nares Strait (80.8°N), can later reach Davis Strait in 4-5 months and the Grand Banks area in 9-10 months. However, most fragments are delayed or lost before reaching the Grand Banks, due to entrapment in coastal inlets or slow current regions, grounding or melting. Thus, ice island occurrence on the Labrador and Newfoundland coast is partly determined by the length of the iceberg season. The iceberg season length since 1900 shows a strong multidecadal variation, and is consistent with air temperature changes in the Labrador Sea area.

• Record URL:
  http://www.poac.com/Papers/POAC11_1-79.zip
• Summary URL:
  http://www.poac.com/PapersOnline.html
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03766756
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of the International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering Under Arctic Conditions (POAC).
• Corporate Authors:

  Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions (POAC)

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Peterson, Ingrid
• Conference:
  • 21st International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions (POAC'11)
  • Location: Montréal , Canada
  • Date: 2011-7-10 to 2011-7-14
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 10p
• Monograph Title: POAC '11: Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions
• Serial:
  • Proceedings of the International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering Under Arctic Conditions
  • Publisher: Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions (POAC)
  • ISSN: 0376-6756
  • EISSN: 2077-7841
  • Serial URL: http://www.poac.com/PapersOnline.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drift ice; Ice islands; Offshore structures; Shipping; Speed
• Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions; Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Environment; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01546133
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: POAC11-044
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 2 2014 9:29AM