Leveraging Earth Observation Data To Enhance The Safety To Navigation In The Canadian Arctic

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is responsible for providing hydrographic products and services to ensure the safe, sustainable and navigable use of Canada's waterways. CHS maintains nautical charts that fully cover the country's waterways, but accessing accurate, up-to-date information to produce charts can be difficult and costly. These challenges are magnified in the Canadian Arctic by the short survey season, ice, adverse weather conditions, and dynamic environments. To improve the efficiency of charting these waters, CHS has developed new techniques that take advantage of satellite earth observation sensors (optical and radar). As part of the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), CHS is investing in remote sensing technologies to achieve two main objectives: to use information derived from remote sensing to facilitate chart production, and to develop a new type of chart adapted to dynamic areas. Due to its dynamic nature, and ever-changing coastlines, the Mackenzie River was selected as the first site.