Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 11.3
Photograph of the Ice Centre Staff in May 1982, taken on the occasion of the move to the Journal
Building in Ottawa. The members from left to right are Dr. René Ramseier, Bernard Sproule, Phyllis Burge, Ron
Fawcett, Awtar Koonar, John Falkingham, Hugh McRuer, Robert Tessier, Bill Markham, Normand Michaud, Angus
Gillingham, Doug Hagen, Dave Mudry, Terry Mullane, Alex Beaton, Phil W. Cote, Anne Walker, Fred Geddes,
and Margaret Giroux.
communication of the data between aircrafts and ground
stations. The Ice Reconnaissance Division was responsible
for the acquisition of sea ice data that was used by the Ice
Centre to produce ice charts and information bulletins. It
was mandated with providing information on lake ice, sea
ice, and icebergs in the navigable waters of Canada's
Exclusive Economic Zone (370 km from its coast). While the
Ice Centre was the operational arm of the Ice Branch for
data analysis and forecast programs, the Ice Reconnaissance
Division was the data acquisition arm. It employed ice
observers working on airborne and shipborne platforms.
Currently, the Ice Branch, as a name, no longer exists,
but its functions have been resumed under the current
Marine and Ice Services (also known as the Canadian Ice
Service—CIS) of the Meteorological Service of Canada
(MSC). This organization emerged as a result of the
restructuring of Environment Canada in 1999, which led
to the elimination of the AES. The new name was chosen
in order to promote Canadian ice expertise. The major
clients of ice reconnaissance data, their analysis, and ice
forecast products include the Canadian Coast Guard,
commercial shipping companies, the oil and gas industry,
and commercial fishers, who all require accurate infor-
mation on current and predicted ice conditions in near
real time. A brief account of data acquisition (ice recon-
naissance) and data analysis at CIS is presented in the
following.
The Ice Reconnaissance Division had existed since
1957 and used to be located in the AES headquarters in
Toronto since 1971. Today, it exists under a different
name; the Ice Field Services and is located in Ottawa.
As mentioned, it employs mainly ice observers who are
assigned to observe sea ice from fixed‐wing aircrafts,
helicopters, and CCG icebreakers. The training of
these observers is also the responsibility of the division.
The majority of the sea ice program funding used to be
directed to the data acquisition task of the ice reconnais-
sance. This task is expensive because it depends on air-
borne programs. Today, the funding is mainly allocated
to acquire satellite images.
Sea ice reconnaissance in Canada was performed
through different programs that graduated with time. The
first program (1958-1965) involved aerial ice reconnais-
sance using seasonal contracts with aerial survey compa-
nies. A variety of aircrafts were used, including Lancaster,
Anson, C‐46, DC‐3, and DC‐4. Trained ice observers
onboard the aircraft estimated ice types, their distribu-
tions and their concentrations in a strictly visual manner.
Visual observations of the ice cover were conducted from
a dome on top of the fuselage or two domes on two sides
of the aircraft that allowed the observer to examine a
wide view of the ice cover on each side. The observations
were communicated to the Ice Centre in the form of maps
with coded information. Missions were performed over
