Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB) for marine shipping corridors in Nunavut, Canada (NGMP ID 16EC37)

The purpose of this study is to develop and test approaches to satellite derived bathymetry (SDB) for shallow waters in Nunavut, and thus evaluate the ability of the highly cost-effective technology to improve bathymetric knowledge. As part of the test, shallow-water bathymetry was mapped for the seven largest coastal communities in Nunavut (Frobisher Bay/Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Cambridge Bay, Pond Inlet, Igloolik, and Kugluktuk) and discrepancies between satellite-derived water depths and existing charts were detected. The research intends to answer the following questions: 1) can the shallow portions of the safest possible marine shipping corridors, for community resupply, mining, and general freight shipping, be charted in detail? 2) Do any areas require buoys, safety markers, or lighthouses? The short-term objectives are to test two SDB approaches for shallow-water areas near the seven communities, test the difference between water depth accuracies achieved when using different satellite data, and use radiative transfer simulations to identify the largest sources of uncertainty. The long-term objective is to develop a validated procedure for producing reliable data on bathymetry for Nunavut and to apply this procedure to produce the best possible information on bathymetry for shallow sections of marine shipping corridors in Nunavut.本研究旨在开发并测试适用于努纳武特地区浅水区的卫星测深（Satellite Derived Bathymetry, SDB）方法，以此评估这项高性价比技术在提升水深测绘认知水平方面的能力。作为测试环节的一部分，研究团队对努纳武特地区7个最大沿海社区（弗罗比舍湾/伊魁特、兰金因莱特、阿尔维亚特、剑桥湾、庞德因莱特、伊格卢利克及库格卢克图克）的浅水区水深进行了测绘，并检测了卫星反演水深与现有海图之间的差异。本研究旨在解答以下两个核心问题：1）针对用于社区补给、矿业运输及普通货运的最安全海洋航运通道浅水区，能否开展精细化测绘？2）是否存在需要布设浮标、安全标识或灯塔的区域？短期目标包括：针对上述7个社区周边的浅水区，测试两种卫星测深方法；对比使用不同卫星数据时所得水深测绘精度的差异；并通过辐射传输模拟，识别不确定性的最大来源。长期目标则是开发一套经过验证的流程，用于生成努纳武特地区可靠的水深数据，并将该流程应用于生成努纳武特地区海洋航运通道浅水区的最优水深信息。