Hydrographic Research in the Canadian Arctic
Prior to the mid 1960s, few ships dared to venture into the high Arctic regions of Canada. The advent of hydrocarbon exploration and the virtual certainty of production, coupled with the possibility of year-round shipping, has given the bathymetric charts of the Arctic a totally new importance. The...
| Published in: | The Canadian Surveyor |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1979
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/tcs-1979-0054 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/tcs-1979-0054 |
| Summary: | Prior to the mid 1960s, few ships dared to venture into the high Arctic regions of Canada. The advent of hydrocarbon exploration and the virtual certainty of production, coupled with the possibility of year-round shipping, has given the bathymetric charts of the Arctic a totally new importance. The Canadian Hydrographic Service is responding to this new importance by developing systems and techniques to cope with the charting requirements in the hostile environment. The ever present ice, the remoteness of the area and the specialized requirements preclude the use of conventional survey techniques and platforms. This paper reviews the research and development of new systems, the adaptation of existing platforms and the development of techniques of the past decade that have enabled the Canadian Hydrographic Service to carry out reconnaissance and detailed surveys in this unique environment. The future systems, which are intended to provide continuous bathymetric profiles from the surface of the ice, and alternate solutions to enhance present bottom coverage are discussed. Developments to improve the capability and reliability of tidal and current measurements in ice-covered waters are also described. |
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