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During the 2011 navigation the transport operations activities in transit traffic increased at least 6 times on the Northern Sea Route with the total volume of moved cargo constituting around 820 thousand tons. In all, 34 transit voyages were made during the spring-summer navigation season by 12 ships with displacement over 70 000 tons. The FSUE (Federal State Unitary Enterprise) “Atomflot” employs space images to choose safe and efficient seaways for ice breakers and vessels along the Northern Sea Route. Anatoli Davydov, Lead Specialist of FSUE “Atomflot”, shared the experience of introducing space technologies into practice during his presentation at the 5th International Conference “Earth from Space – the Most Effective Solutions” on December 1.
“Analysis of the ice situation based on the satellite information, and the predicted ground pressure field for 1-7 days develops the optimal caravan route across the least complicated ice conditions,” - said Anatoly Davydov.
There are a few sources of ice situation, such as the optical imagery from MODIS satellites Terra and Aqua in 250m optical band resolution, Radarsat-1 and 2 satellite radar imager in resolution from 8 to 100 m, images from EROS-A, EROS-B and Spot-5 satellites at resolutions 1.9 m, 0.7 m and 5 m respectively, in particular provided by ScanEx RDC as well as field reports from ice breakers.
There were over thousand images acquired and processed in 2010 by specialists of FGUP “Atomflot”, including about 130 radar images with 100 m resolution and higher and about twenty optical images with much higher resolution (up to 0.7 m) provided by ScanEx RDC. In 2011 the number of images, provided by ScanEx to FSUE “Atomflot” exceeded 200.
All information received was analyzed in the Headquarters of Marine Operations of the FSUE “Atomflot” and then transmitted via satellite comm. channels to ice-breakers together with the Headquarters’ recommendations.
Support to trans-Arctic trips, when images are required throughout the entire route of the caravans from the islands of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago to Bering Strait, is of special interest from the viewpoint of ice conditions analysis and forecasting.
“The choice of the best navigation route by satellite images includes detecting the ice clearings, old ice boundaries, as well as location of icebergs and stamukhas,” – said Anatoly Davydov.
REFERENCE:
5th International Conference “Earth from Space – the Most Effective Solutions” will be held on November 29 – December 1, 2011 in Moscow Region “Vatutinki” resort hotel. The conference is expected to be attended by over 400 specialists from 25 world countries – experts in space imagery, specialists in manufacturing and operation of Earth satellites, representatives of public authorities, scientific and educational entities, introducing modern technology of space monitoring into their practices. Conference organizers are ScanEx Research & Development Center, “Earth from Space” Association and NGO Transparent World.
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