Table of Contents

Earth Observation Express

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1. Ancient ice shelf breaks free from Canadian Arctic

Canadian Ice Service analyst Laurie Weir first noticed fracturing of the 4,500 year-old Ayles Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island during routine monitoring of the eastern Arctic in 2005. Images from the Canadian Space Agency's RADARSAT showed that a massive section had broken away on August 13, 2005. During the last week of 2006, offshore winds combined with very warm temperatures led to more fractures in the surrounding sea ice. For more information, please refer to the Canadian Ice Service's in-depth coverage of the calving of the Ayles Ice Shelf. Recent RADARSAT imagery is at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/radarsat1/featured_image.asp.

2. International Polar Year (IPY): CSA related involvment

The first meeting of the Space Task Group of International Polar Year took place at the World Metrological Organization headquarters on Jan 17-19, 2007 in Geneva. The purpose of the task group meeting was to coordinate the data acquisitions during IPY and archive data to be made available in support of IPY researchers. Members include the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), China National Meteorological Administration (CMA) and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). Other "Fligth Agencies" will be invited to join. CSA is currently completing the processing of some 7500 scenes of archive RADARSAT-1 data arranged along IPY themes . For more information, please contact Yves Crevier, yves.crevier@asc-csa.gc.ca or visit www.ipy-api.gc.ca.

3. Explore MERIS images in near-real time

Through the Co-operation Agreement between the Government of Canada and the European Space Agency (ESA), Canada chose to participate in the ENVISAT environmental satellite program. An ESA web site gives access to the most recently acquired images from the world's largest Earth Observation satellite, Envisat. The site is called MIRAVI, short for MERIS Images Rapid Visualisation. It tracks Envisat around the globe, generates images from the raw data collected by Envisat's optical multi-spectral instrument, MERIS, and provides them online within two hours. MIRAVI is free and requires no registration. For more information: miravi.eo.esa.int/en.

4. Monitoring marine polluters from space with I-STOP

Over 25 species of marine birds in Canada are vulnerable to marine oil pollution. The Government of Canada took an important step in June 2005 with its Migratory Birds Convention Act. I-STOP, for "integrated satellite tracking of polluters," is a surveillance program by Transport Canada. Its four objectives are to survey Canadian waters, identify the extent of marine oil pollution, reduce the illegal release of oil, and demonstrate how Canadian satellite technology aids oil pollution monitoring. On November 1, 2006, the Canadian Ice Service of Environment Canada became lead of I-STOP operations for the government partners, which include Transport Canada, the Coast Guard, National Defence, and the Canadian Space Agency.

5. First Workshop on Earth Observation for the St. Lawrence Ecosystem

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Environment Canada (EC) are organizing the 1st Earth Observation Workshop on the St. Lawrence Ecosystem. The event will be held on February 20-21 at the CSA, in St. Hubert. The workshop will bring together government, research and industry stakeholders on the use of Earth observation data. The goal of the workshop is to demonstrate to the St. Lawrence community the potential of space technology. The objectives are to provide St. Lawrence managers with an overview of Earth observation technology policies and programs; discuss the need for space information for the St. Lawrence ecosystem; show how Earth observation data can be integrated into operations and services; describe projects linked to several St. Lawrence ecosystem themes that involve applications and operations using Earth observation data and tools. Posters on Earth observation applications for the St. Lawrence ecosystem are encouraged. Please note that the second day is reserved for St. Lawrence Plan partners.

6. Space-based Monitoring Workshop

Representatives from the Canadian Space Agency attended Environment Canada's Space-based Monitoring Workshop in Burlington, Ontario, on December 5 and 6. The workshop introduced the Spaced-based Monitoring project and reviewed the current state of space-based Earth Observation at Environment Canada. There was discussion about the development of an Environment Canada Strategic Plan for Space-based Earth Observation. For more information, please contact Mike Manore at mike.manore@ec.gc.ca.

7. International Charter called upon for Typhoon in the Philippines

Typhoon Durian ("Reming"), a category four storm, hit the Philippines on November 29. The southern part of Luzon Island was heavily affected by winds gusting 225 to 265 kilometres an hour. By December 1, over 1,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of evacuees were reported, and there were strong winds, heavy rain and landslides around Mount Mayon, about 320 km south of Manila. For the International Charter "Space and Major Disasters," the Canadian Space Agency provided RADARSAT-1 images to help with emergency response management. They are available at unosat.web.cern.ch/unosat/asp/prod_free.asp. For more information, please contact Christine Giguère at christine.giguere@asc-csa.gc.ca.

8. Denis Auger moves to the Agency's Planning Directorate

You may know Denis Auger from his work as the manager of the Canadian Space Agency's Earth Observation Application Development Program (EOADP). When Marcel St-Pierre retired in November, Denis accepted a one-year assignment to replace him as manager of Earth Observation in the Planning Directorate. Denis now looks after the Earth Observation strategy while offering support to the Satellite Communications and Science and Exploration strategy managers. He will also be responsible for corporate risk analysis for Earth observation activities. We are certain Denis will be able to count on your support in his new assignment. For more information, please contact Denis at denis.auger@asc-csa.gc.ca.

9. Workshop of the Committee on River Ice Processes and the Environment

The 14th Workshop of the Committee on River Ice Processes and the Environment (CRIPE) will be held in Québec, June 19 to 22, 2007, with full papers due by April 30. All subjects related to river ice processes are welcome, including remote sensing, monitoring, modeling, management, engineering, case studies, winter navigation, environment, ecology, and climate variability and change. A registration form will soon be available at www.cripe.ca. For more information, contact brian.morse@gci.ulaval.ca.