Thickness, Salinity, Temperature and Strength of Multi-Year Sea Ice, Beaufort Sea

Multi-year ice represents one of the most significant design and operational concerns for exploration, development, and shipping systems in the Beaufort Sea. The purpose of this project is to provide information about hummocked multi-year ice, including its thickness, salinity, temperature, and strength. Through collaborative efforts, detailed thickness measurements from on-ice drilling will be compared to data gathered by University of Manitoba and to thickness measurements from helicopter-based electromagnetic induction (EMI) soundings championed by University of Alberta. The National Research Council's (NRC) fine-scale thickness data will be used to validate satellite imagery (University of Manitoba). Information about the thickness and strength of deformed multi-year ice will also provide the National Energy Board (NEB) with the information needed to address questions about whether icebreakers can be used to manage the ice to safely extend the offshore operating season, and which features should be avoided. Ice temperature, salinity, and strength data will provide important information for identifying the most hazardous extreme sea ice features, since satellite imagery that has not been validated can be deceptive.