Canadian Arctic Cabled Ocean Observatory Study

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Canadian Arctic Cabled Ocean Observatory Study Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] Prepared for: Danielle Labonté Director General, Northern Strategic Policy Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Terrasses de la Chaudière 10 Wellington, North Tower Gatineau, Quebec Postal Address: Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H4 Voice: +1 819 997 9449 Prepared by: Ocean Networks Canada University of Victoria Technology Enterprise Facility Rm130 2300 McKenzie Ave Victoria, BC Canada V8P 5C2 Voice: +1 250 853 3961 Fax: +1 250 472 4760 Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2011 by Ocean Networks Canada This document contains information proprietary to Ocean Networks Canada or to a third party to which Ocean Networks Canada may have legal obligation to protect such information from unauthorised disclosure, use or duplication. Any disclosure, use or duplication of this document, in whole or in part, or of any of the information contained herein for any purpose other than the specific purpose for which it was disclosed is expressly prohibited, except as Ocean Networks Canada may otherwise agree to in writing. Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK OCEAN NETWORKS CANADA Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] Title: Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Revision: Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Prepared For: Danielle Labonté Assistant Deputy Minister (acting) Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Terrasses de la Chaudière 10 Wellington, North Tower Gatineau, Quebec Contract Number: CFA 1011-01-000899 Prepared By: Scott McLean Ocean Networks Canada Technology Enterprise Facility Rm130 2300 McKenzie Ave Victoria, BC Canada V8P 5C2 Approved By: _____________________________ Scott McLean, Director, Ocean Networks Canada Centre for Enterprise and Engagement ACCEPTANCE OF THIS REPORT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OBLIGATION ON BEHALF OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FOR FUTURE FUNDING OF THIS PROJECT. OCEAN NETWORKS CANADA Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Our understanding of physical and biogeochemical processes in the Arctic, especially related to marine ecosystems, is rudimentary yet it is precisely here where we are witnessing the most rapid and profound impacts of global environmental change … with far-reaching implications for the rest of the globe. Many national and international organizations have stressed for many years the need for long-term monitoring of Arctic ecosystems to understand better how they function and how they will respond to global climate and oceanographic change. Canada will be expected to heed the call from other Arctic nations to advance our knowledge of the many inter-related processes of environmental change in the region in order to best craft remedial and adaptive measures. The report summarizes many of the recommendations of international scientific organizations about the need for Arctic marine monitoring and devotes considerable attention to the suggestions in the Canadian Council of Academies’ “Vision for the Canadian Arctic Research Initiative; Assessing the Opportunities” (2008) Dramatic changes in sea ice characteristics, duration and distribution are also leading to more frequent use of Canadian arctic waters for both destination and transit shipping, the latter through the Northwest Passage (NWP). The NWP offers a very attractive shorter route between Asia and Europe but more open Arctic waterways also bring the possibility of environmental disasters, such as oil spills, and potential routes for illegal immigrants or terrorists to enter Canada and North America. These changes in the Arctic System will require increased surveillance, from the standpoints of the environment, security and sovereignty. With global commodity and energy demand increasing at an ever more rapid pace, the Arctic will see the exploitation of Arctic base metal and petroleum resources, which are becoming increasingly more competitive, further increasing shipping and infrastructure development in the North. All of these activities will have significant effects on the lives of Northerners and their traditional activities on the land and ice. Cabled observatories with real-time capability provide several advantages over other means of collecting oceanographic information in Arctic waters, such moored autonomous instruments. A cabled observatory provides the power necessary to operate many and diverse instrument suites, and to sample the environment at a higher rate than conventional moored arrays. Instrument function can be readily monitored in a real-time, cabled system and, in some instances, malfunctions can be corrected remotely. Real-time monitoring of a broad array of sensors allows event detection and response to “triggers” such as storms, algal blooms, or onset of open water conditions; response can include changing the sampling frequency or mode of operation of particular instruments to characterize better the oceanographic phenomena. Other sub-sea communications approaches, such as acoustic modems, are severely limited in bandwidth and are not a practical alternative to meet the needs of a diverse suite of instruments for real-time data transmission at high rates. Some operational requirements (e.g., vessel traffic monitoring, ice forecasting models) would benefit greatly from a real-time system. This study sought input from a wide range of stakeholders, including scientists, federal and territorial government representatives and Northerners, on the use of cabled ocean observatories in complementing existing marine research activities and contributing to a better understanding of the oceanic environment by making measurements throughout the entire year. There was general agreement from both government and university researchers that systems such as this would contribute to understanding the Canadian Arctic Marine System. Particularly strong synergies were envisaged with research programs such as ArcticNet and with federal government research, especially that being OCEAN NETWORKS CANADA Canadian Arctic Cabled Marine Observatory Feasibility Study Document Number: ONC-DN-2011-02 Revision 4P: [2011-03-30] conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Stakeholders identified a wide range of candidate sites and programs for ocean monitoring systems. Federal government departments and agencies with operational mandates in the Arctic, such as National Defence, Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada saw potential benefits of real-time ocean observatories from an environmental and security surveillance standpoint. Northerners saw the potential for such facilities to improve the knowledge of the resources upon which they rely and to aid in the protection of fragile Arctic marine ecosystems. Cabled observatories in environments such as the Arctic offer the possibility of monitoring environmental processes throughout the year, even when areas are inaccessible due to the presence of ice, harsh weather or darkness. Such observations complement the brief sampling and measurement opportunities provided by research vessels during the open water season or measurements obtained by logistically challenging field programs from the ice. For surveillance activities, the continuous presence is essential for monitoring vessel activities, both surface and submerged, and being able to react quickly if necessary, and for assessing environmental impacts related to Arctic shipping. Three generic types of observatory are considered in the report: • at an existing community with pre-existing infrastructure (e.g., power, air strip, port) • at a remote site with no pre-existing infrastructure but where continuous, real-time monitoring would be required • at an independent site which is extremely remote (e.g., > 100 km from land) where there is no infrastructure available and which would probably operate with no cable connection to shore. Of these, only the first is discussed in detail in this feasibility study, with a focus on Dease Strait/Queen Maud Gulf near the planned Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) as an initial demonstration site for Arctic cabled ocean technology. Cabled ocean observatories are not “stand alone” facilities but must be integrated within an overall scientific program framework. While a “straw man” observatory, as a demonstration site, is sketched out in this report, the authors recognize that full consideration of cabled Arctic observatories must take place within the overall Arctic research planning context. In contemplating the development of facilities such as these, there is a strong recognized need to involve Northerners in their planning, construction and operation, and an imperative to use observatory capabilities to enhance the lives of local residents through training, employment and provision of relevant information about the resources used by them (e.g., fish, marine mammals) and the environment in general (e.g., local sea ice conditions). Unlike similar ocean observatories elsewhere, there is a need in the Arctic to be sensitive regarding the immediate and broad dissemination of some information about resources, such as fish and marine mammals, which could impact traditional hunting
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