High Resolution RADARSAT-2 SAR Data for Sea-Ice Classification in the Neighborhood of Nunavik's Marine Infrastructures

Marine infrastructures are a key component for arctic communities. During the past decades, climate change effects have been observed throughout the Arctic and may be linked with marine infrastructure physical deterioration. Changes in the wind and water regimes and in the ice conditions are major factors explaining this observed phenomenon. Satellite radar images are often used to monitor sea ice conditions on a large scale. This study focuses on the use of high resolution radar images to assess the ice conditions during the freeze-up and break-up periods of 2009-2011 near the marine infrastructures of villages in Nunavik: Quaqtaq and Umiujaq. The data used in this study are RADARSAT-2 fine (9m) and ultra-fine (3m) images. They were processed using the Multivariate Iterative Region Growing using Semantics (MIRGS) algorithm developed in the Department of Systems Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Using MIRGS, sea ice maps are generated for the immediate neighbourhood of the marine infrastructures. Validation is made using air photos and ground photos taken at the infrastructures. Spatial statistics such as first ice appearance and different concentration thresholds are calculated for various buffers (0.1 to 10 km) around the infrastructure using spatial analysis methods in ArcGIS. The study is part of a larger project assessing the vulnerability of Nunavik’s marine infrastructures to climate change, led by Transport Quebec and the Ouranos Consortium. The ice maps and statistics will be used to document ice behaviour near the infrastructures and to validate a three-dimensional (3D) oceanic sea ice model.

• Record URL:
  http://www.poac.com/Papers/POAC11_80-192.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:
  • Gignac, C
  • Gauthier, Y
  • Bédard, J-S
  • Bernier, M
  • Clausi, D A
• 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; References; Tables;
• 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: Algorithms; Artificial satellites; Classification; Climate change; Mapping; Offshore structures; Radar; Sea ice; Spatial analysis
• Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions; Nunavik (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Environment; Marine Transportation; I15: Environment; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555148
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: POAC11-126
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 26 2015 10:03AM