RADARSAT derived monthly ice motion estimates for the Beaufort Sea, 1997-2014

• Main Authors: Derksen, Chris, Howell, Stephen, Brady, Mike
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network 2017
• Subjects: Beaufort Sea; Motion; RADARSAT; SAR; Sea ice; Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment; Canada
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5443/11796; https://www.polardata.ca/pdcsearch/?doi_id=11796

Ice motion estimates were derived from RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 ScanSAR imagery using the Canadian Ice Service Automated Sea Ice Tracking System (CIS-ASITS). The system applies a combination of cross-correlation and phase-correlation methods of feature tracking to sequential SAR-image pairs. Ice drift vectors of varying confidence levels are produced from examining the image pairs at multiple resolution levels. Estimates were gridded at 200 m pixel resolution and organized by month. Using outputs produced by the CIS-ASITS process, bearing and speed were calculated to produce velocity data. Ice velocity map products were generated by bi-linearly interpolating the monthly estimates to 5km and 25km grids. : Purpose: Monthly ice motion fields for the Beaufort Sea are derived from the existing operational image archive of RADARSAT imagery combined with a new ice tracking algorithm. These motion estimates will be used to quantify sea ice dynamics within the Beaufort Sea region, in order to provide meaningful baseline information as well as identify the observed variability, trends, and extreme events. This high resolution, satellite-derived ice motion information will also serve to evaluate a new regional sea ice forecasting system in preparation for operational implementation at Environment Canada. : Summary: Sea ice within the Beaufort Sea region circulates according to the pre-dominantly anti-cyclonic Beaufort Gyre, but very little quantitative information about sea ice motion exists. Sea ice motion products were derived for the Beaufort Sea region using the Canadian Ice Service's (CIS) operational archive of RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 imagery and Environment Canada's new sea ice motion tracking algorithm. This analysis fills a considerable knowledge gap with respect to sea ice dynamics in the Beaufort Sea region. The results of this analysis will establish a baseline sea ice motion dataset which can be used for sea ice and climate model validation, and to plan and support future offshore operations.