Science applications of ARIES Science applications of ARIES data at BASdata at BAS

McMurdo Ground Station Science WorkshopMcMurdo Ground Station Science Workshop9 – 11 March 20049 – 11 March 2004

Andrew FlemingAndrew Fleming

British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic Survey

SummarySummary

• Responsibility for co-ordination of remote Responsibility for co-ordination of remote sensing data and activities in BASsensing data and activities in BAS

• BAS science programme makes use of a wide BAS science programme makes use of a wide range of remote sensing applicationsrange of remote sensing applications

• Ensure that we keep track of new Ensure that we keep track of new developments and forthcoming changes to developments and forthcoming changes to existing systems that will impact our existing systems that will impact our operations and science programmeoperations and science programme

• This presentation will provide an overview of This presentation will provide an overview of some applications of satellite datasome applications of satellite data

Satellite imagery used for mapping, cartography…

…glaciology, geology…

…field work planning and operations support. But this presentation will concentrate on the use of the AVHRR data collected by our SRIES system and analogous datasets.

Application areasApplication areas• Real time applications in weather Real time applications in weather

forecasting at Rothera Stationforecasting at Rothera Station• Field operations supportField operations support• Logistics and new base planningLogistics and new base planning

• Research at BAS into:Research at BAS into:• Synoptic and mesoscale weather systemsSynoptic and mesoscale weather systems• Antarctic cloudsAntarctic clouds• Ice shelf monitoringIce shelf monitoring• Biological science applicationsBiological science applications• VolcanoesVolcanoes

The BAS base at Rothera on the Antarctic Peninsula. The other main BAS base is located on the Brunt Ice Shelf.

ARIES data is used for met forecasting to support flights for field scientists and aerial photography.

Clouds and weather Clouds and weather systemssystems

Cloud data assessed to help in planning of new bas to replace Halley on the Brunt Ice Shelf.

Ice shelf monitoringIce shelf monitoring

AVHRR data used in conjunction with SAR and altimetry data to monitor ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula.

More detail of the break-up of the Larsen Ice Shelf available from data such as the Landsat 7 ETM+ image.

Volcanic monitoringVolcanic monitoring

Monitoring of volcanic eruptions on the South Sandwich Islands.

For a given lava surface temperature it is possible to estimate the lava surface area and derive an indication of volcanic activity over the duration of the ARIES archive.

Similar volcanic detection algorithms are now integrated into the MODIS processing chain.

This example comes from the MODVOLC system run by the University of Hawaii.

Biology of the Southern Biology of the Southern OceanOcean

Some SeaWiFS data has been collected by the ARIES system.

SeaWiFS and MODIS ocean colour products are used in the study of the biology of the Southern Ocean.

Using statistical techniques to determine spatial and temporal variability of chlorophyll concentration.

Satellite data is also compared with in-situ data acquired during scientific cruises.