Technological Overiew of The Catlin Arctic Survey
Overview
At the heart of the Catlin Arctic Survey is its scientific programme. It is delivering urgently needed scientific data that will help determine the rate at which the polar ice cap is melting. Much pioneering and highly complex scientific and communications equipment has been developed specifically for this project to enable a global audience unprecedented access to the dramatic human and scientific story as it unfolds on the ice.
Ice & Snow Measurement – Surface Penetrating Radar for Ice Thickness Establishment (SPRITE)
Engineer: Michael Gorman
The Catlin Arctic Survey has developed innovative technologies to make this groundbreaking survey possible. SPRITE is a robust and portable, ice-penetrating impulse radar. At just 4kg in weight it is vastly lighter than previous systems that traditionally have been attached to aircraft. It will be towed behind the survey’s sledge-boat. This effectively converts the traditional sledge into a small survey vessel, carrying out the highest resolution and largest scale surface survey of sea ice ever performed.
The raw data will be collected every 10 cm across the ice floes along the 1300 km survey route. The raw data will then be stored in SPRITE’s own on-board computer for later retrieval. Each day’s data will be compressed by the on-board computer and then up-linked, via Iridium satellites to the survey’s UK Headquarters. Once re-formatted these daily results will be distributed to scientists at the Department of Oceanography at the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The Catlin Arctic Survey website will also display daily updates on the thicknesses observed. The complete high-resolution transect across the ice cap will become available after the end of the expedition.
By differentiating between snow and ice layers (something more conventional methods struggle to achieve), the radar will provide definitive data on the thickness of the ice cap. It will enable scientists to predict, with a much higher degree of accuracy, exactly when the majority of the Arctic Ocean is likely to be ice free. Current estimates range from the year 2100 to just 4 years from now.
Central Data Unit - Onboard Sledge Computer
Engineer: Dr Andrew Jackson
Polar expeditions have always been highly restricted in the way they can communicate from the ice. It is far more difficult to communicate from this remote part of the world than most other places on the planet. With very limited communication satellite coverage in the high Arctic there is an extremely low data transmission rate via the few Iridium satellites which can be used.
The Catlin Arctic Survey has solved these problems using innovative strategies and state-of-the-art equipment. On this expedition the Ice Team will be able to transmit data, audio, video, web cam and still image footage directly from the North Pole ice cap. Its custom-built, onboard sledge computer and multi-modem data-uplink system will greatly increase the amount of information it can transmit at any time to the Iridium satellites. The whole system has been specially designed to withstand the deep cold and rough use in a polar environment. The equipment will receive, reformat, store, compress and, most importantly, transmit everything the expedition needs to send back to its UK Headquarters. Vital survey, image, audio, video and bio-telemetry data will be uplinked on a live and ‘delayed-live’ basis.
It enables unprecedented access to people following the survey’s progress. It will be possible to follow audio and video reports and live commentaries at the same time as seeing how the Ice Team is withstanding the rigours of the venture from bio-monitor information streamed back and presented on the website (www.catlinarcticsurvey.com) It is not so much a case of following the team’s progress as experiencing it in real time.
This innovative link-up between bio-monitors and state-of-the-art data transmission technology will connect Pen and the team directly to newsrooms, websites, mobile phones and PC’s. This will allow a global audience to be directly connected to what's happening on the ice.
3-Way Communications and Speech archiving
Engineer: Perran Newman
A specially developed 3-Way Person-to-Person communications system makes it possible for the Ice Team to be in constant communication with each other no matter how far apart they are on the ice, as well as keeping in direct contact with the UK HQ.
This system will allow conference calls to be established and live commentaries can be fed through the website. Overall this will allow a far more intimate connection with the explorers for those following from the comfort of their homes and offices.
The system combines analogue HF radio with a satellite link to allow effective conference-calling between the UK base and the ice team. The Ice Team will each wear a duplex radio which simultaneously sends and receives using split frequencies. By routing all speech communication through the sledge the Ice Team can maintain two-way speech links via satellite link so that anything said by an ice team member is heard back at the UK base and anything said in the UK can be heard by all the ice team.
All speech will be archived to provide a record of the expedition, with ice observations and measurements sent overnight to the UK via satellite. The sledge radio repeater and speech archive are known as the HUB.
The Ice Team members’ communication packs are carried in a pouch in the small of the back and worn underneath their outer clothing. It is designed to be easy to use with the control box located on their sledge harness straps. It is simple to operate with a push-to-talk and voice-activated capability. The explorers will have a throat microphone and single earpiece.
A push button on the HUB will make satellite connection to the expedition HQ simple. Once the call is established, a conversation can take place with any team member whilst they are on the move or if the highest quality speech is needed (e.g. during an interview) then a headset can be plugged into the HUB.
Equivital – Physiological Telemetry
Aside from the main scientific programme the Catlin Arctic Survey is undertaking some physiological monitoring of the team members. The team will wear monitoring systems, produced by the Cambridge-based company, Hidalgo (www.hidalgo.co.uk). These Equivital units will measure the physiological condition of the explorers whilst on the ice. It was originally designed to help medical personnel in everyday clinical situations but will be put to test in the extreme Arctic environment. Incorporating Equivital into the Catlin Arctic Survey offers an excellent opportunity to assess how the body responds in a harsh environment.
Hi-tech sensors are worn around the wearer’s chest, to measure heart rate, breathing rate and volume. The Equivital Recorder/Transmitter continuously encrypts and sends the wearer’s physiological data to the survey’s onboard processor. The Ice Team’s uplink system will then transmit the data back to the UK HQ.
Separately, core body temperatures will be recorded and sent back to track team members’ physical and mental responses to extended periods in extreme, low temperatures.