A Memorial University project is helping people in northern communities gain a better understanding of sea ice conditions.
Trevor Bell, a Memorial University research professor who is behind SmartICE, says while mapping exists for marine navigation, there was no reliable mapping for people who travel over the ice on snowmobile.
He says there were no maps available to allow people to plan travel from one community to another or out to hunting or harvesting sites. In light of climate change, it was vitally important for people to have the ability to understand and see how the sea ice was changing from day-to-day and season-to-season.
He says the Sikumik Qaujimajjuti project combines SmartICE monitoring, traditional Inuit ice knowledge collected over the centuries, and satellite technology.
Ice thickness is monitored using local operators, combined with satellite technology that helps to produce maps using traditional Inuit terminology. That will help people plan their trips more accurately in the face of what he calls “unprecedented” changing ice conditions.
1/5 PRESS RELEASE: With the support of @CJRFund, we are excited to announce the Sikumik Qaujimajjuti project. https://t.co/lgVxwm36jn#SikumikQaujimajjuti @ArcticPrize @tbellnl @Geocogito @itscaharding @JeffHoward10 @klsheppard @gnialddor pic.twitter.com/yKPkIpjd6r
— SmartICE (@SmartICE_Arctic) February 23, 2021
It was a beautiful day in Nain yesterday. Thank you to Rex Holwell for taking these photos during his #SmartQAMUTIK run yesterday afternoon. @ArcticPrize @NunatsiavutGov pic.twitter.com/jGLD6svZsX
— SmartICE (@SmartICE_Arctic) February 26, 2021
