Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What is Polar View? What are its objectives? Q: What satellite imagery do you use? Q: How much does it cost to use the Polar View Antarctic services? Q: Who uses Polar View services in the Antarctic? Q: Does Polar View support science projects in the Antarctic? Q: Can you see every iceberg and bit of sea ice? Q: How do Polar View services improve ship safety? Q: How do Polar View services improve ship efficiency? Q: Can you provide a sea ice forecast? Q: How up to date is Polar View information? Q: Do you provide software to view the information products? Q: Do users need to have an internet connection on board their ship?
A: Polar View is an earth observation (or satellite remote-sensing) programme, focused on both the Arctic and the Antarctic. Polar View is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and promotes the utilization of satellites for public good and supporting public policy. The Polar View Team consists of companies, government agencies and research institutes across Europe and Canada. Each organization brings diverse, complementary skills and experience to the Polar View program and is committed to establishing a dedicated service for addressing polar issues using earth observation technologies. The reason Canadians are able to participate on a European Space Agency programme is that Canada is an associate member of the ESA and financially supports a number of ESA programmes.
A: We use data from a number of satellites. SAR imagery previously came from ENVISAT, but since the loss of this platform we are using Radarsat2 and Cosmo-Skymed imagery. We also use MODIS imagery from the Aqua and Terra satellites. We are also investigating the use of recently launched and forthcoming satellites to provide new services.
A: Polar View services for the Antarctic are currently free to all users. We cannot guarantee that this will always be the case, but we are working hard to ensure they are free at the point of access for as long as possible.
A: We support a wide range of users including national Antarctic programmes, tour ships and fisheries vessels. It is our intention to make Polar View services available to the widest possible audience in the Southern Ocean.
A: Yes. We have tailored the Polar View services to support a number of science projects and are keen to do more. Of course this depends on available resources, but get in contact and let us know what you need. We'll do our best.
A: No. The satellite imagery we use is excellent and clouds do not restrict its view, but it can only resolve features that are bigger than 100 metres. This means it is impossible for us to see every bit of ice and all icebergs floating in the sea.
A: Incidents such as the sinking of the Titanic or more recently the Explorer in the Antarctic, illustrate vividly the danger posed to ships by sea ice and icebergs. Having good knowledge of sea ice and ice berg distribution ensures ships are more aware of these hazards and can plan to avoid them.
A: Sea ice is a hindrance to ship movement. Ships can spend a large amount of time and fuel navigating through areas of sea ice. Good knowledge where the sea ice is allows ships to choose the most efficient route to their destination.
A: Not yet. This is something we would like to deliver, but involves consideration of other factors such as ocean currents and weather systems. When this is possible and reliable we will of course make sure forecasts are available.
A: We deliver new information services as soon as new satellite imagery is available. Some information such as sea ice concentration is updated every day, other higher resolution images are delivered within a few hours of image acquisition.
A: Yes. The Technical University of Denmark have developed software which can be viewed on the internet or installed on board a ship. This allows the display of almost all the Polar View information together with other information such as your ship position, ice drift or wind conditions. Please get in contact and we will be happy to take you through the steps to get this up and running.
A: It certainly makes things easier if you have an internet connection. However we recognise that some ships have more limited communications and can deliver most information as small attachments to email. We invest a lot of effort adapting Polar View services for delivery over limited data connections. We're always happy to discuss individual cases to make sure you receive information as easily as possible. |