IICWG DICS Action DC 6.1.1: Interoperable Data Formats Clearly define the objective of developing common data base i.e. seamless customer support vs. ice service interoperability: Complete final version of the Ice Objects Catalogue –editorial changescorrect references –review for consistency w/ Sea Ice Nomenclature / SIGRID-3 Responsible: P. Seymour / Vasily Smolianitsky. Target Date: April, 2006 Status: Editorial changes:First draft of recommendations Correct references:First draft of addition of references Compare w/ Nomenclature:First draft completed Compare w/ SIGRID: By default, some progress made

IICWG DICS Action Background Important milestone: met with Dr. Paul Birkel in May Authored a critique of the catalog that was presented during the interoperability session during last meeting Access to an expert / Access to the actual IHO database This access is absolutely necessary Steady progress since this meeting in May, 2006 Dr. Birkel is working with the NGA to write similar databases for all product specifications

IICWG DICS Action Database Description 1 Ice Catalog looks like a spreadsheet It is actually a relational database There is a method to the apparent madness The Ice Objects Catalog divided into three sections:

IICWG DICS Action Database Description 2 The higher level are the Features - Main objects Sea Ice, Land Ice Ice Openings, Icebergs and Ice Fracture etc. The middle level are the Attributes - Descriptors Concentration Total, Floe Sizes Iceberg Shape, Fracture Type etc. The lower level are the Attribute Listed Values These are enumerators for the Attributes. –Represent ice codes used to describe ice eggs List of Iceberg Shapes Codes for Ice Stages Fracture types: Crack, Very Small Fracture

IICWG DICS Action Summary of Progress 1 Completed: Reviewed Features in the catalogue –Notes on comparison to: Nomenclature Each other –Recommendations on supporting attributes –These notes are contained in additional fields in the spreadsheet and in the Feature Report

IICWG DICS Action Summary of Progress 2 Completed: Reviewed Attributes in the catalogue Made notes on how they compare to: –Nomenclature –How they relate to each other These notes are contained in additional fields in the spreadsheet and in the Attribute Report

IICWG DICS Action Summary of Progress 3 Completed: Reviewed Attribute Listed Values Made notes on how they compare to: –Nomenclature –Symbology or ice codes –Other sources such as the CIS MANICE.

IICWG DICS Action Remaining Work 1 Reverse process to compare the nomenclature and symbology to the objects Smooth draft documents for consistency The project has to be completed –Definitions and descriptions harmonized with Nomenclature Ice codes On another level, nomenclature and ice codes –Updated with the goal of facilitating electronic charting –Make ice objects fit that review

IICWG DICS Action Conclusions 1 At highest level, three Features that are overarching: –Sea Ice, Land Ice (is Ice of Land Origin), Lake Ice –One inconsistency is that there is no River Ice Many of other Features are subsets of these three: List of Ice Objects Features: Floeberg, Ice Advisory Area Ice Dynamics Ice Movement Ice Ridge Ice Topology Ice Fracture Ice Lead Ice Opening Ice Polynya Ice Line (represents the ice extent or ice edge) Ice Route, Ice/Snow Thickness, Iceberg, Iceberg Area Lake Ice Land Ice Sea Ice

IICWG DICS Action Conclusions 2 Examples of overlap between openings Features –Ice Openings* –Ice Fracture* –Ice Polynya* –Ice Lead* Examples of overlap between topology Features –Ice Topology** –Ice Ridge** Examples of overlap between drift –Ice Dynamics*** –Ice Movement***

IICWG DICS Action Conclusions 3 The enumerators should be in a logical format and the units should be spelled out… –Kilometers, metres or centemetres not cms or ms –Nautical miles not knots Measurements should not overlap or leave gaps. Example: –4Very Small Fracture metres –5Small Fracture metres –6Medium Fracture metres –Should probably read > 50 to < = 200 etc Descriptions: plain language not "ice" language –We know what a "floe" is –Definitions should refer to it as a piece of ice (floe)

IICWG DICS Action Conclusions 4 Some definitions do not match the nomenclature Ice Object Feature Land Ice NomenclatureIce of Land Origin Ice Object FeatureIce Line NomenclatureIce Edge There are some features that are not ice terms at all such as Ice Advisory Area or Ice Route (from NATO). a. Will we adopt those definitions? There could be sea ice nomenclature terms that should have an Ice Objects Feature. One example is River Ice.

Recommendations Where To Go From Here? 1. Use the Ice Object Catalog in its current form –Little work but a lot of inconsistencies –Not recommended 2. Make Ice Objects conform to definitions in the nomenclature and symbology and then come up with recommended changes to the nomenclature –Moderate work but more consistency –Makes a difference in the short run 3. Redo the nomenclature and coding for ice charting and then harmonize the Ice Objects with electronic charting in mind –Very Large amount of work but maximum usefulness/consistency –There is a large risk that we will modify the ice code and then we may not be compatible with our legacy data

Questions and Comments Larson B Feb., 2002

Appendix A Examples of Duplication 1 Feature: Ice Fracture: Attribute: Fracture Type: Code Name 1 Crack 2 Tide Crack 3 Flaw Valid 4 Very Small Fracture 5 Small Fracture Valid 6 Medium Fracture 7 Large Fracture 8 Undetermined or Unknown There is also a feature called Feature: Ice Opening Attribute: Ice Opening Type CodeName 1 Crack 2 Tide Crack 3 Flaw 4 Very Small Fracture 5 Small Fracture 6 Medium Fracture 7 Large Fracture 8 Non-Recurring Polynya 9 Recurring Polynya 10 Open Lead 11 Frozen Lead 12 Undetermined or Unknown Attribute Listed Value (or Enumeration) for Fracture Type: 1Crack 2Tide Crack 3Flaw 4Very Small Fracture metres. Small Fracture metres. 6Medium Fracture metres. 7Large Fracture Greater than 500 metres. 8Undetermined or Unknown With the following enumerations: 1Crack 2Tide Crack 3Flaw 4Very Small Fracture < 50 metres in length 5Small Fracture metres in length 6Medium Fracture metres in length Large Fracture > 500 metres in length 8Non-Recurring Polynya 9Recurring Polynya 10Open Lead 11Frozen Lead 12Undetermined or Unknown

Appendix A Examples of Duplication 2 Feature: Ice Polynya Attribute 1: Ice Polynya Type Attribute 2: Ice Polynya Status Code Name 1 Polynya 2Shore Polynya 3 Flaw Polynya 1 Polynya: An unspecified type of polynya. 2Shore Polynya A polynya between ice and the coast or between ice and an ice front. 3Flaw Polynya A polynya between ice +fast ice. Code Name 1 Non-Recurring Polynya (This is our “general or non-specific” polynya) 2 Recurring Polynya A polynya which recurs in the same position every year.