Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #215: Airborne high-resolution LiDAR altimetry and numerical photogrammetry for studying the arctic landscape changes  (ARCLAND project)

Outline
Climate warming at high latitudes will be accompanied by natural hazards such as thaw subsidence of ice-rich permafrost zone, slope failure, increased rate of erosion of coastal permafrost, profound changes in arctic hydrology and fast glaciers retreat. These arctic landscape changes can have major impacts on northern ecosystems and performance of manmade infrastructures. For example, airstrips and roads built on ice-rich permafrost in Northern Canada, Alaska and Siberia are already affected by thaw subsidence increasing their maintenance cost, decreasing their useful life span and jeopardizing the population security. Many communities such as Tuktoyaktuk in the North-West Territories are also threatened by coastal erosion of thawing permafrost. Without high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) produced at regular interval over a given area, it is impossible at small scale to quantify accurately the arctic landscape changes and the rates of change for assessing the impacts of climate warming on permafrost, glaciers, ecosystems and manmade infrastructures. The capabilities of remote sensing with dedicated satellites are simply insufficient to provide the level of resolution (10 cm in longitude and latitude and less than 10 cm in altitude) needed for studying the thaw subsidence of ice-rich permafrost for example. The proposed activity in IPY 2007-2008 is to produce a dataset of high-resolution DEMs and photogrammetric views of northern communities already affected by climate warming and reference permafrost sites where scientists are involved in long-term studies for providing a benchmark for future changes of the cryosphere and a legacy to future generation of arctic researchers. Airborne high-resolution LiDAR altimetry and numerical photogrammetry will be carried out during the IPY. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a technology used to create high-resolution DEMs. Using Global Positioning System Real-Time Kinematic (GPS-RTK) on the ground and GPS Inertial Navigation System (GPS-INS) on the helicopter carrying the LiDAR, a resolution of less than 10 cm in altitude can be achieved. In addition to the LiDAR, a helicopter-based high-resolution numerical camera will provide the photogrammetric views. This dataset of high-resolution DEMs and photogrammetric views can be used not only to document arctic landscape changes if other LiDAR surveys will be carried out over the same areas at regular interval in the future but also to model the processes and potential hazards of permafrost thaw and help communities in their management and development planning based on the first LiDAR survey carried out during the IPY.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The most significant advance to the IPY is at the legacy level. A dataset of high-resolution DEMs and photogrammetric views of northern communities and reference permafrost sites will be created as a baseline to analyse in the future surface-elevation changes within ice-rich permafrost zone, coastal zone and glacier zone affected by climate warming. However, advance in cryosphere science (natural science research) can be also expected. New knowledge will be developed on processes and natural hazards of permafrost thaw, coastal erosion and glaciers retreat. Moreover, the northern communities, governmental agencies and decision makers will have the geographic information needed for territory management and development planning.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Any scientist, community or governmental agency dealing with the cryosphere affected by climate warming will be interested in using the airborne high-resolution LiDAR altimetry and numerical photogrammetry system. Identical problematic on impacts of permafrost thaw on manmade infrastructures for example can be studied worldwide in different environments in Canada, Alaska and Siberia.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The locations of the proposed field work are in Nunavik (thirteen Inuit communities and few reference permafrost zones in Ungava and Hudsonie), Yukon, North-West Territories, Mackenzie river and delta, Nunavut and Canadian high arctic (Bylot Island).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 08/07      06/08 – 08/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The airborne platform for carrying out the high-resolution LiDAR altimetry and numerical photogrammetry is a helicopter. It has to be modified to take in the LiDAR, GPS-INS and high-resolution numerical camera. Only few models of helicopter can be modified in regard to the regulations of Transport Canada. The helicopter can be certainly shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The LiDAR, GPS-RTK, GPS-INS, numerical camera and the computer facility for data processing and storing acquired through a research infrastructure fund from the Canadian Foundation of Innovation (CFI) will be the legacy of infrastructure. This infrastructure will be used in the future to carry out again the LiDAR surveys. Limited user fees for equipment maintenance and manpower for data acquisition and processing will be charged to users involved in arctic projects.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

The Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) of Laval University has his own logistical support in Nunavik including an annual contract with a commercial operator for helicopter hours. The helicopter of the Amundsen icebreaker can be also used in the frame of the ArcticNet activities. The Polar Continental Shelf Project provides also logistical support.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
For the actual expression of intent, no attempts have been made to contact national or international committees for approval and endorsement of the project. However, if the actual expression of intent is accepted, contact will be established prior to submit the full proposal. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). On-going discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Theme: Ecosystems Sub-theme: Remote Sensing

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes

It’s a new autonomous proposal.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organised and managed through a CEN’s committee. A user interested in using the LiDAR system will address a short proposal directly to the committee explaining his research problematic, objectives and needs. The logistic support will be to the user’s responsibility. Limited user fees for equipment maintenance and manpower for data acquisition and processing will be charged to the user. However, efforts will be given for finding research fund to cover the logistic cost and manpower cost during the IPY. Priorities among the submitted proposals will be established according to the logistic support provided by the user and the adequacy of the user’s problematic with the ARCLAND project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The ARCLAND project is submitted by faculty members already involved in the formation of young researchers in arctic sciences. These young researchers will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art technology in their research project for documenting the arctic landscape changes. This knowledge will be disseminated principally through internet and scientific papers to the public and scientific community respectively.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The CEN has a large expertise and experience in data management for his network of climatological stations in Nunavik and Canadian high arctic. This expertise will be very useful for the management of DEMs and photogrammetric images. These data will be available on request to the scientific community and public. Using the web capabilities of ArcView for geographical information system (GIS), the authorized user will have full access to the CEN’s computer facility for recovering the raw and processed data.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A proposal will be submitted to the CFI for purchasing the LiDAR, GPS-RTK, GPS-INS, numerical camera and the computer facility for data processing and storing (investment of about 1 M$). Preliminary contacts have been made with a private corporation involved in geodesy and interested in providing 20% of the system cost for a long-term partnership. Funding for logistical support (another 1 M$) should be available through proposals submitted to national programs such as ArcticNet.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Richard Fortier
Université Laval
Pavillon Abitibi-Price
Sainte-Foy (Québec)
G1K 7P4
Canada

Tel: (418) 656-2746
Mobile: no
Fax: (418) 656-7339
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation