1. Current and Future Iceberg Monitoring, Modeling, and Charting Systems
A report from the IICWG Iceberg Subcommittee
Gabrielle G. McGrath
Commander, USCG International Ice Patrol
6th Session of the Expert Team on Sea Ice
Helsinki, Finland
28 February 2017

2. Presentation Overview
Introduction – Connection between users & providers
Sample Iceberg Products From Ice services (handout available)
Research, Academic, and Industry Organizations
Future Activities
We need to connect user needs with our products – whole goal of ice services is to meet the needs of mariners
Ice Services first, but then others are interested in icebergs as well including research, academic, and industry

3. Introduction
Iceberg Information – Wide range of users with varying needs
Current products provide some combination of:
Iceberg Locations and Sizes
Iceberg Limit
Distribution and/or Concentration (density)
Drift History
Analyst Annotation
Tailored Iceberg Outlook

4. Introduction Iceberg Information Users: Operational
Iceberg avoidance – e.g., IIP customers
Iceberg managers – e.g., Oil and Gas Industry
Iceberg seekers – e.g., Tourists
Science and Research
Improving detection algorithms, drift and deterioration modeling
Assessing the role that icebergs play in understanding climate change
Science and Research are supportive of Ice Service operations or industry
Again, main goal is are we meeting users needs?
Are we addressing the needs of our users?

5. Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Spatial Coverage – Iceberg Bulletins
Alphabetical order for Northern Hemisphere
AARI – ships moving through Northern Sea Route

6. Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Northern Sea Route Iceberg Bulletins
IA_BCN Code
Distance Between Icebergs
5-7
1-7 Nautical Miles
7-9
1 Nautical Mile and less
Icebergs
Greenland on right, NSR on left. Miles between icebergs
Product – Operational, weekly
Combined sea ice and iceberg chart
Icebergs indicated using WMO symbols with estimated quantity.
Region – Northern Sea Route – METAREAs XX & XXI
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Daily satellite with navigator reports as available
Manual detection for routine products
Automated CFAR detection with validation from ship navigators
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Modeling – None

7. Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Northern Sea Route Iceberg Bulletins
Product – Operational, weekly
Combined sea ice and iceberg chart
Icebergs indicated using WMO symbols with estimated quantity.
Region – Northern Sea Route – METAREAs XX & XXI
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Daily satellite with navigator reports as available
Manual detection for routine products
Automated CFAR detection with validation from ship navigators
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Modeling – None

8. Spatial Coverage - Ice Island Analysis
Canadian Ice Service
Spatial Coverage - Ice Island Analysis

9. Canadian Ice Service Ice Island Analysis
Photo is from Dr. Luke Copland from University of Ottawa. Format – Non-operational, Monthly Summary of Ice Islands
Ice island designators indicating origin
Position and approximate areal coverage
Key imagery, photos, KML, and analyst notes
Region – Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Labrador Sea
Purpose - Public Interest/ Research
Monitoring – Satellite: Radarsat-2 (DVWF, SCNA, SCNW others?); Sentinel-1 (EWS); Modis; photos (when available)
Modeling - None

10. Canadian Ice Service Ice Island Summary
Format – Non-operational, Monthly Summary of Ice Islands
Ice island designators indicating origin
Position and approximate areal coverage
Key imagery, photos, KML, and analyst notes
Region – Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Labrador Sea
Purpose – Public Interest/ Research
Monitoring – Satellite: Radarsat-2 (DVWF, SCNA, SCNW); Sentinel-1 (EWS); Modis; photos (when available)
Modeling – None

11. Danish Meteorological Institute Spatial Coverage for Iceberg Products
East, West. Cape Farewell

12. Danish Meteorological Institute
“Many icebergs and growlers located across the approaches Ilulissat due to release of icebergs on 30 August 2016
“Ice conditions continue to improve as icebergs drift towards north.”
In support of CRYSTAL SERENITY
Products/Purpose (Three total)
(1) Iceberg Concentration – Monitoring, Climatology
(2) Iceberg Reports – Maritime safety
(3) Approach outlook (commercial) – Maritime safety (cruise ships primary users)
Format/Region
NET CDF/ Greenland Waters (soon to be extended to 50N)
(2) Plain text, photo/ South Greenland inshore shipping lanes
(3) 1 page summary with illustrated graphics/ ice sensitive or hazardous Greenland straits or harbors
Monitoring - Aerial (Product (2) only)
Helicopter support for ice navigators (South Greenland inshore shipping lanes)
Satellite (All Products) with CFAR automated detection
Sentinel-1a & b (Interferometric Wide Swath)
Other high resolution imagery eg., Cosmo SkyMED when available
Modeling - None but expectations for next 24 hours provided for commercial product

13. Danish Meteorological Institute
Products/Purpose (Three total)
(1) Iceberg Concentration – Monitoring, Climatology
(2) Iceberg Reports – Maritime safety
(3) Approach outlook (commercial) – Maritime safety (cruise ships primary users)
Format/Region
NET CDF/ Greenland Waters (soon to be extended to 50N)
(2) Plain text, photo/ South Greenland inshore shipping lanes
(3) 1 page summary with illustrated graphics/ ice sensitive or hazardous Greenland straits or harbors
Monitoring - Aerial (Product (2) only)
Helicopter support for ice navigators (South Greenland inshore shipping lanes)
Satellite (All Products) with CFAR automated detection
Sentinel-1a & b (Interferometric Wide Swath)
Other high resolution imagery eg., Cosmo SkyMED when available
Modeling - None but expectations for next 24 hours provided for commercial product

14. Danish Meteorological Institute
Products/Purpose (Three total)
(1) Iceberg Concentration – Monitoring, Climatology
(2) Iceberg Reports – Maritime safety
(3) Approach outlook (commercial) – Maritime safety (cruise ships primary users)
Format/Region
NET CDF/ Greenland Waters (soon to be extended to 50N)
(2) Plain text, photo/ South Greenland inshore shipping lanes
(3) 1 page summary with illustrated graphics/ ice sensitive or hazardous Greenland straits or harbors
Monitoring – Aerial (Product (2) only)
Helicopter support for ice navigators (South Greenland inshore shipping lanes)
Satellite (All Products) with CFAR automated detection
Sentinel-1a & b (Interferometric Wide Swath)
Other high resolution imagery eg., Cosmo SkyMED when available
Modeling – None but expectations for next 24 hours provided for commercial product
Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI)
Product:  Iceberg concentration product
•                          Region:  Greenland Waters will soon be extended down to 50N)
•                          Format:  Net CDF
•                          Distribution:  Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service
Purpose:  Monitoring, climatology
Monitoring: Remote Sensing (automated analysis based on Sentinel 1A + 1B)
Modeling:  No  
Product:  Iceberg reports
•                          Region:  South Greenland inshore shipping lanes
•                          Format:  plan text, photo
•                          Distribution:  dmi.dk, , facebook, ArcticWeb
Purpose:  shipping safety
Monitoring: helicopter as platform for ice navigators, high res satellites when available
Product:  Approach outlook (commercial)
•                          Region:  ice sensitive or hazardous Greenland straits or harbors
•                          Format:  1 page summary with illustrated graphics
•                          Distribution:  to ice pilots or captain
Purpose:  shipping safety (primary users are cruise ships)
Monitoring: high res satellites. Resolution better than 10 m.
Modeling:  None (but expectations to coming 24 hours is provided)

15. North American Ice Service
Spatial Coverage

16. North American Ice Service Daily Iceberg Limit and Distribution
Aerial  Satellite Reconnaissance
Format – Graphical chart & text bulletin
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Region – North Atlantic Ocean
Monitoring - Aerial
USCG HC-130J
Canadian Gov’t
Provincial Aerospace (contracted by CIS)
Satellite (north of 50°N)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Narrow, Wide Fine, Extra Fine)
Sentinel-1a,b (Interferometric Wide Swath)
TerraSAR-X (ScanSAR) and or Cosmo SkyMED when available
Modeling - IIP and NAIS models are run twice daily in parallel; IIP model currently used operationally.

17. North American Ice Service Daily Iceberg Limit and Distribution
Format – Graphical chart & text bulletin
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Region – North Atlantic Ocean
Monitoring –
- Aerial
USCG HC-130J
PAL Aerospace (contracted by CIS)
Canadian Government, when available
- Satellite (north of 50°N) – Imagery analyzed in house
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Narrow, Wide Fine, Extra Fine)
Sentinel-1a,b (Interferometric Wide Swath)
TerraSAR-X (ScanSAR) and or Cosmo SkyMED when available
Modeling – IIP and NAIS Iceberg Drift and Deterioration Models are run twice daily in parallel; IIP Model currently used operationally.

18. Norwegian Ice Service Spatial Coverage Svalbard Hopen Met Station
Svalbard glacier, Hopen Island Meteorological Station

19. Norwegian Ice Service Iceberg Alerts
First image is Sentinel on the right, image on the right is COSMO
Product – Non-operational, as required Iceberg Alerts
Iceberg from Austfonna Glacier, Svalbard
Key imagery, photos, and analyst notes
Region – Svalbard & Barents Sea
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Satellite with CFAR automated detection:
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Some ground monitoring at Hopen Met Station, Svalbard
Modeling – None (Prior use of Canadian Hyraulics Centre (CHC) model)

20. Norwegian Ice Service Iceberg Alerts
Product – Non-operational, as required Iceberg Alerts
Iceberg from Austfonna Glacier, Svalbard
Key imagery, photos, and analyst notes
Region – Svalbard & Barents Sea
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Satellite with CFAR automated detection:
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Some ground monitoring at Hopen Met Station, Svalbard
Modeling – Currently none (prior use of Canadian Hyraulics Centre (CHC) model), recently acquired NAIS Iceberg Drift and Deterioration Model

21. Southern Hemisphere

22. Iceberg Monitoring, Modeling, and Charting
Southern Hemisphere
Alfred Wegener Institute
Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center (ACE CRC)
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service
National Ice Center
Norwegian Ice Service
Overview – organizations who deal with Antarctic ice charting

23. Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service
Spatial Coverage - Weekly Iceberg Chart

24. Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service
Weekly Iceberg Chart
B15K
Blue polygon is iceberg limit area. Each circle represents an iceberg. B15K is over 10 NM, others are less than 10 NM. Usually only track bergs greater. These bergs were previously greater than 10 and have melted. Currents are black arrows.
Product – Operational, weekly iceberg chart with daily METAREA and NAVAREA warnings
Depicts icebergs greater than 10 nautical miles with designator indicating origin
Includes area of icebergs and ocean currents
Region – Scotia Sea centered on South Georgia Island
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Daily satellite with reports from Argentine Navy and Antarctic stations as available
Manual detection only using
MODIS
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Modeling – None; will begin using NAIS iceberg drift and deterioration models

25. Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service
Weekly Iceberg Chart
Product – Operational, weekly iceberg chart with daily METAREA and NAVAREA warnings
Depicts icebergs greater than 10 nautical miles with designator indicating origin
Includes area of icebergs and ocean currents
Region – Scotia Sea centered on South Georgia Island
Purpose – Maritime Safety
Monitoring – Daily satellite with reports from Argentine Navy and Antarctic stations as available
Manual detection only using:
MODIS
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
COSMO SkyMed (ScanSAR, HIMAGE)
Modeling – None; will begin to use NAIS Iceberg Drift and Deterioration Model

26. National Ice Center Antarctic Icebergs
30 September 2016
Iceberg
Length (NM)
Width (NM)
Latitude
Longitude
Remarks
Last Update
B15K 16 3
50°31’S
42°22’W
Belle
10/7/2016
Product – Operational, weekly table of Antarctic Icebergs with designator indicating origin, location and size information.
Depicts icebergs greater than 10 nautical miles and those with areas greater than 20 nm2 with designator indicating origin
Information provided as CSV or PDF in tabular format
Region – Waters surrounding Antarctica
Purpose – Maritime Safety, Public interest
Monitoring – Daily satellite with reports from Argentine Navy and Antarctic stations as available
Manual detection only using:
MODIS
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine),
Modeling – None

27. National Ice Center Antarctic Icebergs
Product – Operational, weekly table of Antarctic Icebergs with designator indicating origin, location and size information.
Depicts icebergs greater than 10 nautical miles and those with areas greater than 20 nm2 with designator indicating origin
Information provided as CSV or PDF in tabular format
Region – Waters surrounding Antarctica
Purpose – Maritime Safety, Public interest
Monitoring – Daily satellite with reports from Argentine Navy and Antarctic stations as available
Manual detection only using:
MODIS
Sentinel-1a,b (EW+IW)
Radarsat-2 (ScanSAR Wide, Quad Fine)
Modeling – None

28. Research/Academia Glacial Ice Hazards Working Group
Inaugural Meeting June 2015 – Carleton University, Ottawa
Centre for Arctic Resource Development (CARD)
Carleton University
C-CORE
Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s)
National Research Council – Canada
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
European Space Agency/ Polar View – Polar Thematic Exploitation Platform
Princeton University
University of Ottawa

29. Industry Monitoring / Modeling Airbus Defense and Space (Terra SAR-X)
e-geos (COSMO Sky-Med)
MDA Corporation (Radarsat)
Oceans Ltd.
ASL Environmental Science
Ballicater Consulting
Ice Management
Amec Foster Wheeler
Canatec
Fednav
Horizon Ice
PAL Aerospace
Statoil
Suncor Logistics

30. Future Activities Monitoring
Expansion of monitoring area in North Atlantic and other areas
Use of cloud-based data discovery, processing, and modeling (e.g., Polar Thematic Exploitation Platform)
Iceberg Detection
Forecasting Iceberg Trajectories

31. Future Activities Modeling
NAIS Iceberg Drift and Deterioration Model validation and improvement
Use of modeling techniques to support probabilistic products
e.g., ensemble and Monte Carlo simulations
Model Validation Using Actual Iceberg Drift

32. Future Activities Charting
Incorporating proposals for portrayal of iceberg information
Providing charts in ECDIS format
Developing probabilistic products
USCG Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System

33. Questions?