Near-real-time sea ice monitoring in the northern sea route using ERS-1 sar and DMSP SSM/I microwave data

Abstract

Active and passive microwave sensor data from satellites are useful for studies of the sea ice in the polar regions, including the Eurasian Arctic. Their ability to acquire data regardless of darkness or cloudiness is an essential attribute in these regions. Here the scientific objective is to use the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1) ERS-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to investigate various sea ice phenomena and processes in the Kara Sea north of Russia. The technical objective is to assess the usefulness of ERS-1 SAR and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data for near-real-time monitoring of the ice conditions along the Northern Sea Route (the Northeast Passage) in support of navigation. The SAR data are seen to be very useful for small-scale ice studies, whereas the SSM/I data provide large-scale ice information, including the ice edge position. The SAR data are acquired in near real-time from the Tromsø Satellite Station in order to transmit detailed sea ice maps to icebreakers operating in the Kara Sea. The use of SAR and SSM/I data in support of ice navigation there has been very successful.