Combining TerraSAR-X and time-lapse photography for seasonal sea ice monitoring: the case of Deception Bay, Nunavik.

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Dufour-Beauséjour, Sophie, Wendleder, Anna, Gauthier, Yves, Bernier, Monique, Poulin, Jimmy, Gilbert, Véronique, Tuniq, Juupi, Rouleau, Amélie, Roth, Achim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: annual variation; backscatter; photography; satellite imagery; sea ice; TerraSAR-X; time series; Nunavik; inuit; Sea ice; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/10348/; https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/10348/1/P3742.pdf; https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1595-2020

This article presents a case study for the combined use of TerraSAR-X and time-lapse photography time series in order to monitor seasonal sea ice processes in Nunavik's Deception Bay. This area is at the confluence of land use by local Inuit, ice-breaking transport by the mining industry, and climate change. Indeed, Inuit have reported greater interannual variability in seasonal sea ice conditions, including later freeze-up and earlier breakup. Time series covering 2015 to 2018 were acquired for each data source: TerraSAR-X images were acquired every 11 d, and photographs were acquired hourly during the day. We used the combination of the two time series to document spatiotemporal aspects of freeze-up and breakup processes. We also report new X-band backscattering values over newly formed sea ice types. The TerraSAR-X time series further show potential for melt and pond onset.