The impacts of climate change have resulted in an increasing need for forecasting and observation tools in the northern latitudes. The Polar View Nunavik Lake Ice Service Portal has been designed to support this need. The information provided in the portal is derived from RADARSAT-1 data and provides:
- Integrated monitoring and forecasting services: in the Polar Regions as well as mid-latitude areas using satellite earth observation data to support improved decision-making, planning and adaptation to climate change.
- Lake and river ice monitoring, ice edge detection, enhanced sea ice information (charts and forecasts), snow maps and glacier and iceberg monitoring data.
Hatfield has taken advantage of Polar View’s capabilities to aid the Inuit people of the Nunavik region of Northern Québec. The communities of Kangirsuk and Kangiqsualujjuaq rely heavily on Arctic char fisheries as a source food security, fishing all winter in the frozen lakes and rivers of the region where they over-winter. For these people Polar View provides simple, online access to lake freeze-up, lake ice status and break-up information. The information provided by the portal is used by hunters for planning hunting expeditions and winter travel; and researchers from the NRC for monitoring Arctic char over-wintering habitats. Observations made by hunters related to lake ice conditions are also integrated into the portal.
Future plans for the portal include a number of enhancements such as integration of traditional, coastal transport route safety information.
Visit the Nunavik Lake Ice Service Portal
