Sea ice investigations in the Laptev Sea using RADARSAT ScanSAR data

During a field expedition with the Russian nuclear icebreaker "Sovetsky Soyuz" to the Laptev Sea in September 1997, RADARSAT ScanSAR images were used to investigate late summer ice conditions and support ice navigation. The predominant ice types were first year and newly formed ice, primarily nilas. The in situ observations made from the icebreaker and its helicopter were used to validate the ScanSAR observations and assess the capability of RADARSAT data to discriminate open water, first year and new ice. Also SSM/I and ERS SAR were compared with the ScanSAR data. To observe first year ice at concentrations above 10% seemed to be straight forward, while nilas was difficult to discriminate from open water during low wind conditions. Use of RADARSAT ScanSAR data represents a significant improvement in ice monitoring and navigation in the Northern Sea Route.