The author has identified the following significant results. This investigation explores the applicability of ERTS to (1) determine the Antarctic sea ice and environmental behavior that may influence the harvesting of icebergs, and (2) monitor iceberg locations, characteristics, and evolution. From image sampling, it is found that the potential applicability of ERTS to the research, planning, and harvesting operations can contribute importantly to the promise derived from broader scope studies for the use of Antarctic iceberg to relieve fresh Thermal sensor bands will provide coverage in daylight and darkness. Several years of comprehensive monitoring will be necessary to characterize sea ice and environmental behavior and iceberg evolution. Live ERTS services will assist harvesting control and claming operations and offer a means for harmonizing entitlements to iceberg resources. The valuable ERTS services will be more cost effective than other means and will be easily justified and borne by the iceberg harvesting operation

Hult, J. L.

Ostrander, N. C.

English

The author has identified the following significant results. Recognition and interpretation of icebergs proves to be easy when they are locked in sea or fast ice. They stand out in relief, particularly well in band 7. Recongition of isolated icebergs is much more difficult. Size, shape, interaction with sea ice, and change over time must then be used to help in positive identification. There seems to be much less current and relative motion between icebergs and sea in much of the test sector than had been believed from avialable exploration information. However, most of this type of assessment must await the accumulation and analysis of the full season data

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Program information and without liability
for any use made thereof."
APPLICABELITY OF ERTS FOR SURVEYING
ANTARCTIC ICE BERG RESOURCES
John L. Hult
Neill C. Ostrander
The Rand Corporation
1700 Main Street
Santa Monia, California
April 1973
Progress Report for Period February - April 1973
Prepared for
GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
,n
0` 7 3-10696) APPLTCABTLITY OF FFTS FOR
SURVFYTNr ANTARCTIC TCEBEPr, RFSOURCFS
Progress Report, Feb. - Apr.. 1 073 (RAND
Corp.)	 5 p HC $3,00
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APPLICABILITY OF ERTS FOR SURVEYING
ANTARCTIC ICEBERG RESOURCES
(MKC#059, NAS5-21905)
First Progress Report, February-April 1973
John L. Hult (PR101)
The contract, NAS5-21905, became effective 9 February 1973 after
most of the Antarctic daylight season was over, and after much of the
originally requested imagery had been taken (started 16 November). The
delay in contracting confused and delayed the delivery of imagery and
gave little opportunity to modify the request for imagery based on early
results. The extent to which cloud cover prevails over the Antarctic seas
was not anticipated nor the volume of imagery required to obtain the de-
sired information under these conditions. A formidable problem of handling,
cataloging, displaying, and correlating thousands of images required early
solution. The original concept for this investigation was to focus at-
tention on a test sector in western Antarctica to establish methods, tech-
niques and potential applications to the Pacific. It was then contemplated
that the investigation could be extended over seasons and to the rest of
Antarctica with ERTS-B. However, ERTS-B has been postponed and recorder
difficulties will probably not permit the acquisition of significant
additional Antarctic imagery after March 1973 from ERTS-1. A perusal of
the Non-U.S. Standard Catalogs of ERTS images reveals that a considerable
sampling of Antarctica outside of our originally defined test site
has been made, which may permit us to extend and complete our analysis
even though our requested imagery and planned extension have been cut
short. This investigation is supported primarily by NSF and sources
outside of NASA so we do not anticipate requesting additional funding
from NASA if we can obtain the imagery in time so that it will not
require much additional reporting to NASA beyond that originally planned.
R'{,4
I,
-2-
Accomplishments
A Data Analysis Plan was submitted to NASA on 21 February 1973
and notice of approval and authorization to proceed with Phase III of
the contract (dared 8 March 1973) was received. We have devised suitable
methods of cataloging and displaying the inventory of imagery that we
receive so that it can be accumulated, correlated, and analyzed effi-
ciently. The original test sector is partitioned geographically along
orbital parallels into six sections, and much of the changing data
such as sea ice coverage and cloud cover are being partitioned chrono-
logically into four periods. The imagery received to date reveals a
good geographical sampling of the test sector and good initial time
sampling, although it is not yet known whether an adequate sampling
was made during the latter part of the season.
ERTS image descriptor forms for about 500 images have been com-
pleted and submitted during the period, and data requests have been
made for about 60 retrospective bulk-product images. About 350 bulk
images of Antarctic coastal and sea areas outside of our original test
area have been requested from the N-5 and N-6 catalogs.
During the coming period we should receive the remainder of our
standing order images and most of our data requests. If we receive
this information in a timely manner, we should b .-, able to complete the
investigation by July including any useful information obtained from
imagery outside of our standing orders and test site. This should in-
clude cloud cover statistics in Antarctica, sea ice contours and behavior
with time, considerable new information on coastal topography and ice
shelves, and as significant a sampling of iceberg characteristics as can
be obtained from the available data.
JJ'	 Significant Results
1!
A preliminary analysis of cloud cover during the first few months
of imagery reveals that over 0.6 of the images have more than 90 percent
cloud cover. Many images have translucent cover that permits the inter-
----:
;I	 pzetation of many features about sea ice or Antractic topography, but
(	 that obscures the possibility of measuring detailed iceberg characteristics.
If the cloud cover is greater than 90 percent, but useful information
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for this invest9.gatioii about sea ice or topography is obtainable, an
image is arbitrarily classified with 90 percent cloud cover. About
0.4 of the standing order images obtained so far have full cloud
coverage with no useful information for our investigation about sea
ice, icebergs or topography. No descriptor forms for these images will
be prepared.
Recognition and interpretation of icebergs proves to be easy when
they are locked in sea or fast ice. They stand out in relief, parti-
cularly well in band 7. Recognition of isolated icebergs is much more
difficult. Size, shape, interaction with sea ice, and change over time
must then be used to help in positive identification. There seems to
	
zA. ,
	 be much less current and relative motion between icebergs and sea ice
in much of the test sector than we had been lead to believe from available
exploration information. However, most of this type of assessment must
await the accumulation and analysis of the full season data.
Recommendations
There will probably be no opportunity to obtain further imagery
of the Antarctic for about three years. However, much imagery of the
Antarctic outside of our initial test site including some coverage of
sea and ice shelf areas was apparently obtained during the past season.
Therefore we recommend that the responses to our requests for bulk
imagery from this outside coverage selected from the most promising
listings in the catalogs be expedited so that its analysis can be
included and combined with our originally planned effort at no increase
in contract costs to NASA.
RRTS Image Descriptor Forms
Image descriptor forms submitted during this period cover about
500 images that are useful to the investigation. Three frequently used
descriptors were devised that should be easy to find in any listing and
that should help in any search for specific details of interest. 41M
-4-
Data Requests
Data request forms submitted 22 February 1973 requested 19 Bulk
B&W 70-mm positive transparencies for detailed analysis of iceberg
characteristics; three Bulk Color 9.5-in. positive transparencies for
detailed analysis of iceberg characteristics in a colored background;
three Bulk Color 9.5-in. paper prints to determine the value of color
in interpretation for scenes with greatest potential in this investi-
gation; and 12 images from the N-4 catalog involving sea or coastal
coverage of Antarctica outside of our test site. Data request forms
were submitted on 10 April and on 26 April for 15-Bulk B&W 70-mm
positive transparencies for detailed analysis of iceberg characteris-
tics, and for more than 300 images of greatest promise from sea or
coastal coverage of Antarctica outside of our test site from the N-5
and N-6 catalogs. Additional requests will be made when new catalogs
are received and in retrospect from suitable imagery that is received.
r e.„


Applicability of ERTS for surveying Antarctic iceberg resources

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Hde ev ablf!e under ffR4 s>,.
In the interest of early and w' !
semination of Earth Resources Survey
Program information and without liability
for any use made thereof."
APPLICABILITY OF ERTS FOR SURVEYING
ANTARCTIC ICEBERG RESOURCES
John L. Hult
Neill C. Ostrander
The Rand Corporation
1700 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90406
June 1973
Progress Report for May and June 1973
Prepared for
GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
(E73- I! 692)
SURVEYTNG ATPPLTCABTLTTY OFR AN TARCTr C ICEBERG RESORCS FProress Report, Pay Jun 9S73 (,A RDCorp.) 5 D fC $3.09
CSCL opL
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730016658 2020-03-23T03:47:29+00:00Z
APPLICABILITY OF ERTS FOR SURVEYING
ANTARCTIC ICEBERG RESOURCES
(MMC#059, NAS5-21095)
Second Progress Report, May and June 1973
John L. Hult (PR 101)
We apparently have received most of the remaining standing order
imagery that was obtained before recorder difficulties interrupted
imaging activities over the Antarctic. There was a greatly reduced
image sampling rate in our test sector in February and March. Our
April data requests for imagery of drift ice areas in the Antarctic
outside of our test area were not approved, and the retrospective
bulk positive transparencies that were requested at the same time
for magnification and analysis of iceberg characteristics have not
yet been received. The degree to which cloud cover prevails in the
Antarctic severely limits the useful imagery and requires extensive
repetitive coverage to obtain the imagery required for most of our
analyses. The original objectives of our studies may not be as com-
pletely achievable as hoped for because of the limited useful imagery
and the delays in obtaining it; however, we still expect to say some-
thing about the economic value of this future operational application
of ERTS on contract schedule.
Accomplishments
We have received all of our standing order imagery as far as we
know, and it has been catalogued and organized for efficient handling
and analysis. Much of the cloud cover, sea ice cover, and topography
analysis has been accomplished. We have completed and submitted the
image descriptor forms for the remaining images received during the
reporting period. The proposed organization and content of our final
report has been developed and an outline is herewith submitted for
comment and approval. Since most of the work has been supported by
NSF grant, but the imagery was obtained under NASA contract we plan
to submit it to both sponsors. It will not be released to the public
until we receive NASA approval according to contract. A draft of the
final report is due by 15 August and we contemplate no further reporting
requirement.
I
-2-
Final Report Outline
Title: ERTS FOR ANTARCTIC ICEBERG RESOURCES
Front Matter
Text
Introduction
Results from ERTS-I
Cloud Cover
* Discussion of cloud cover definitions, relevance to this
project, and objectives of the analysis, Illustrations of
pertinent images.
* Map showing partition into 9 sectors by orbital parallels and
showing center locations of all standing order images.
. Figure showing cloud cover comparisons over drift ice, catalog
vs. our interpretation and definition, partitioned by orbital
sector combinations and by period and showing number of images
represented in each category.
· Figure as above with various combinations of periods.
. Figure showing cloud cover comparisons over fixed Ice vs. over
drift ice, for various orbital sector and time period combina-
tions from all catalog Antarctic data.
* Interpretation of the role of cloud cover in the potential per-
formance of various means of obtaining the desired Image Infor-
mation.
Sea Ice Contours and Movements
* Discussion of behavior of sea ice from previously recorded data.
* Image illustrations showing various types of sea Ice.
* Figure showing seasonal sea Ice contour behavior as obtained
from ERTS imagery.
* Interpretation of the role of sea ice in the harvesting of
Antarctic icebergs.
Sampled Iceberg Characteristics
* Discussion of relevant characteristics; lengths, widths, areas.
Density of icebergs and aggregated mass. Probable life and move-
ment behavior.
* Image illustrations showing characteristic differences vs. area
sampled.
-3-
* Figure presenting statistics of sampled iceberg characteristics.
* Interpreting the influence and suitability of various iceberg
characteristics in harvesting and transporting the icebergs to
using terminals.
Antarctic Topography
* Discussion of types of updating topographic information that
can be obtained from ERTS imagery.
* Table listing images with the nature of the useful updating
information.
ERTS System Potential
Antarctic Icebergs as a Global Fresh Water Resource and the
Potential Role of ERTS
Discussion and reference to Report for NSF on subject.
Obtaining Live Imagery
Possible system configurations, performances and costs.
Thermal Imagery and the Potentials at Other Wavelengths
Cloud cover, resolution, seasonal influences, identification
and iceberg height measurements by temperature differences.
Seasonal Sea Ice Behavior and Iceberg Evolution.
Control and Access Information.
Claiming and Monitoring Service.
Proposal for Establishing Entitlements to Antarctic Iceberg
Resources.
Economic Potentials
Estimated costs of desired ERTS Information.
Estimated revenue that might be derived from Iceberg
harvesting systems.
· Estimates of increased costs of harvesting Icebergs
without ERTS information or by other means.
ERTS Image Descriptor Forms
Only one image descriptor form listing 26 images that had useful
information other than cloud coverage was submitted during the period.
A copy is attached.
ERTS IMAGE DESCRIPTOR FORM
(See Instructions on Back)
DATE 20 J--4 ! 973
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR John L. Hu If'
NDPF USE ONLY
D
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ID
GSFC PR I 01
ORGANIZATION . le, f.nch
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Applicability of ERTS for surveying Antarctic iceberg resources

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