G601 A7 A67 1 978 c.2 000119 PROCEEDINGS OF AN ARCTIC PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY WORKSHOP October 10-11,1978 at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, Patricia Bay Sidney, B.C. Institute of Ocean Sciences, Patricia Bay Sidney, B.C. 1979 • This is a manuscript which has received only limited circulation. On citing this report in a bibliography, the title should be followed by the words "UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT" which is in accordance with accepted bibliographic custom. • CON TEN T S Page INTRODUCTION 1 PROGRAM 1 INFORMAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE 2 GENERAL DISCUSSION 5 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 6 APPENDICES : 10 A. F. G. Barber. Arctic Oceanography: Some Knowns and Unknowns B. T. S. Murty and M. C. Rasmussen. Plans for Numerical Modelling of Circulation Associated with Sills in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago C. Knut Aagaard. Summary of Invited Talk D. V. R. Neralla. Sea Ice Prediction Programs and a Methodology at the Atmospheric Envi ronment Servi ce, Canada .. - 1 - INTRODUCTION In recent years, the distribution of Arctic Oceanographers in Canada has changed; many of them work as contractors and for offshore resource­ extraction industries. It seemed timely to collect most of these relatively rare oceanographers from Industry, Government and Universities under one roof - primarily to meet each other and to find out what each of us is doing. The Workshop, held on October 10 and 11,1978, did just that. The hoped-for workshop component - to develop a rationale for long-term Arctic oceanographic research - of necessity has to be a topic for future discussions. There was too much else to learn. The Workshop was organized by Allen R. Milne and Tad S. Murty. PROGRAM. October 19, 1978. 0830 Registration 0900 P. W. Nasmyth Welcome A. R. Mi 1ne Workshop theme and overview of Oceanography related to resource de ve 1opment. 0935 F. G. Barber Knowns and unknowns in Archipelago oceanography 1010 B REA K 1040 T. S. Murty Numerical Modelling 1120 E. L. Lewi s Instrumentation and Logistics 1200 L U N C H (at lOS Cafeteria) 1315 Information Exchange and Workshops (Moderator: A. R. Milne) "Programs and Problems" - each participant to give a 5-minute, informal presentation. 1500 B REA K 1530 "Programs and Problems" - conti nuati on. 1700 B REA K for DIN N E R 1930 Wine and Cheese Social at lOS October 11, 1978. 0830 Invited speaker - Knut Aagaard, University of Washington 0915 "Programs and Problems" continuation. 1000 B REA K 1020 "Programs and Problems" - cont., and Wrap-up. 1230 End of organized program. - 2 - INFORMAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE. Each attendee had an opportunity to speak on his current work and interests related to Arctic Oceanography. Apart from time allotted to invited speakers, all of the time was devoted to this part of the program; consequently, the hoped-for opportunity to deal with future plans and programs did not arise. It would seem that this function could be the responsibility of an individual or small committee benefiting from the stimulation of the workshop. Topics and speakers were as follows: (Apologies, in advance, are due to those participants whose comments were not recorded and to those whose main points of discussion are not accurately noted). Clive Mason, Bedford Institute of Oceanography: Work is proceeding on ice forecasting in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Related to EAMES (Eastern Arctic Marine Environmental Survey), the Bedford Institute of Ocean­ ography has oceanographic interests in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait; also off Labrador, related to EMR permit areas. Regarding the archiving of data, it should all reside with M.E.D.S. (Marine Environmental Data Service). Considerable data is now with Universities and industrial contractors. Regarding archiving the latter, there is some mistrust as to its quality. V. R. Neralla, Atmospheric Environment Service, Toronto. (See attached paper). Real-time sea-ice prediction models are now under development. M. B. Danard, University of Waterloo and Atmospheric Dynamics Inc. Discussed were three projects: (1) Predicting winds in the Beaufort Sea; (2) Modelling of surface winds in Barrow Strait (on behalf of Defence Research Establishment Esquimalt) and (3) Climatology in Davis Strait. T. S. Murty, Institute of Ocean Sciences. Discussed were wind-generated and tidal-circulation models for the whole of the Northwest Passage (Parry Channel), Baffin Bay and Davis Strait system. Touched on was the possibility of developing a model for the whole Canadian Arctic Archipelago. A. R. Milne, Institute of Ocean Sciences. Current-meter moorings in Parry Channel were discussed in the context of providing 'ground-truth' data for T. Murty's numerical models of water circulation. Heavy stress was put upon the need for year-round monitori ng of water-mass movements and their identification. Discussed was possible relationships between the Archipelago ice climate and oceanography. S. Prinzenberg, Canadian Centre for Inland Waters (OAS, Burlington). Work in Hudson Bay, James Bay and Hudson Strait was described, as well as more recent work over the Barrow Sill. - 3 - Steven Peck, Canadi an Centre for Inl and Waters (OAS, Burl i ngton). Described was data from two current meters deployed in Penny Strait on behalf of DINA. Plans for 1979 include a program of air/sea inter­ action studies in the Sverdrup Basin, funded by the Energy Research and Development Program. Parts of this program include : the development of an ice model by Dr. Neralla, and the deployment of sets of current meters, under ice, to examine vertical current structures. Hopes are to develop a joint AES-OAS five-year program for the Sverdrup Basin. Brian Smiley, Institute of Ocean Sciences. Described assessment of risk to wildlife from offshore drilling proposed for Lancaster Sound. Impacts likely are best guesses which are difficult to defend legal­ istically,at Public Hearings. Assumed threats to wildlife must be based on a firm ice and oceanographic climate. Lyn Lewi s, Insti tute of Ocean Sci ences. Briefly covered was a description of : Current measurements in various Archipelago channels, supported by Polar Gas Project funds; investigations of mixing processes in deep Arctic fjords; seasonal changes in Bridport Inlet oceanography (supported by Petro-Canada); past and completed work in Greely Fjord on Ellesmere Island; work on deep water oil-well blowouts in conjunction with the University of Alberta at Calgary; the study of polynya air/sea interactions and oceanography (in conjunction with the Boundary Layer Group at AES, Toronto); mine-tailings work (by Bob Sudar); instrumentation development of various types; finally, the preparation of a manual on CTD measurements as a commitment to a SCOR Committee of which he is a member. Robert Lake, Institute of Ocean Sciences. Following on discussions by Lyn Lewis, described in detail were current meter measurements in Byam and Austin Channels. Mean bottom currents, trending southward, appear to increase by almost an order of magnitude during the winter months. Currents measured in Wellington Channel agree well with Murty's numerical model. Adam Kerr, OAS, Ottawa. He described the terms of reference for a study he is conducting on long-range plans for Arctic research within OAS. He is directly responsible to ADM/OAS, Mr. G. Ewing, for this study. Dave Grant, Petro-Canada (Melville Shipping Limited), Montreal. He described his connection and invol vement with the Arctic Pilot Project [a proposal to transport Melville Island and offshore gas by liquid natural gas (LNG) icebreakers through Parry Channel on a year-round basis]. He described programs which measure ice ridges and other ice­ climate· features. A numerical model has been developed (ARCTRANS), into which ice features and icebreaker characteristics are built in order to determine delivery parameters. Alex Beaton, Ice Forecasting Central, Ottawa. Operational ice fore­ casting procedures were described. Aids include LANDSAT and NOAA photographs in near real-time, aircraft reconnaissance and water temperature and salinity data.- the latter to assist in forecasting - 4 - freeze-up and break-up. This is not always available, particularly in the far north. In addition to winds, ocean-current data is needed to estimate ice drift adequately. The reconnaissance aircraft is equipped with: side-looking radar (SLAR), a LASER profilometer (for measuring ice-ridge heights and wind-wave amplitudes), an infrared line scanner (for estimating ice thickness), and a radiation thermometer. Martin Vanieperen, Panarctic Oils Limited. Considerable work on the motion of landfast ice has been done, but is not yet public information. Oceanographic data has been obtained at all offshore, thickened ice- pl atforms. George Hobson, Polar Continental Shelf Project of EMR. Described was EMR's upcoming LOREX Project (Lomonosov Ridge Experiment), beginning April, 1979 and involving geological and geophysical studies. Ocean­ ographers from the University of Washington have some involvement in the Project. The status of the North Water Project was covered. He is the new Chairman of the Canadian Committee on Oceanography's (C.C.O) Sub-Committee on Arctic Oceanography (SCAO). Bodo De Lange-Boom, Seakem Oceanography Limited, Sidney, B. C. Icebergs and sea ice were tracked by a radar at the S.E. corner of Devon Island during late Spring, Summer and Fall, 1978, under contract to Petro-Canada. Eric Sadler, Ice Research Group, Defence Research Establishment Pacific. The Robeson Channel Oceanography erogram has been completed. Fourteen current meters were deployed in Fury and Hecla Straits, along with six tide gauges. Some current-meter data is available for the eastern end of Hudson Strait. David Fissel, Arctic Sciences Limited, Sidney, B. C. For the past two years, ice-drift work and 'oceanography has focussed on Lancaster Sound and Baffin Bay. At present (1978), under contract to Petro-Canada, work is concentrating at the mouth of Lancaster Sound and the adjoining Northwest part of Baffin Bay. This summer, 14 out of 15 current-meter moorings were recovered.