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Radar image of Davis Station (r) and icebreaker (l)
Radar image of Davis Station (r) and icebreaker (l)
Visiting a research station in Antarctica
 
Davis Station is one of the many research stations our scientists visited. Look at the ASAR image on the left. It is a small section of a 400 km x 400 km radar image. There is one visible ship, represented by the red arrow.  
 
Davis Station and two visiting ships
Davis Station and two visiting ships
Now look at this image taken by our student during the Davis Station visit. We recognise the station in the foreground, a trail, and people coming and going towards TWO ships in the background. In fact, the 'Kaptain Khlebnikov' icebreaker left the Station shortly before the satellite passed over this area. Unfortunately we missed this opportunity. Now it will be difficult to spot a ship in the rough sea or among the icebergs.
 
 
Trail of icebreaker in fast-ice
Trail of icebreaker in fast ice
It would have been easy to spot a ship on a radar image sailing in calm waters or trapped in fast ice.

This type of ice is very smooth, and consequently very visible as a dark area in the radar image. A penetrating ship leaves a trail behind.






 
 
Trail of the passing icebreaker in ice floes
Trail of the passing icebreaker in ice floes
Compare the trail on the satellite image with the two 'real' photos.

Why is the trail dark in the photo, whereas it is grey or white in the satellite image?








 
 
 


Antarctica 2003 expedition
IntroductionBackground
Accompany a classmate - Exercises
IntroductionThe coast of AfricaHigh sea near the Crozet IslandsThe Islands of KerguelenThe harsh climate of Heard IslandEntering the icy watersObserving the solar eclipseNearly caught by a severe storm!Arrival in TasmaniaChlorophyll concentration exercise
Exercises
IntroductionExercise 2 - Guide the icebreaker through the ice using images and mapsExercise 3 - Guide the icebreaker through the ice using a computerExercise 4 - Help, the icebreaker is stuck!
Links
Australian Antarctic DivisionMaps Larsemann HillsDavis station - webcam
Eduspace - Software
LEOWorks 3
Eduspace - Download
Resultats-meteo-xls.zipResultats-chimie.zipMERIS031102_ 0742.zip (1.0 Mb)ASAR031121
_fullgeo.zip
(0.6 Mb)
ASAR_sun-eclips
_position.zip
Chlorophyll.pdfMERIS_031110-0655
_Ocean.zip (3.4 Mb)
MERIS_031114-0451
_Kerguelen.zip (3.4 Mb)
 
 
 
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