Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/149372
Arctic Workshop The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, Ofce of University Programs, in collaboration with the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, organized a workshop in September 2010, Operating in the Arctic: Supporting U.S. Coast Guard Challenges Through Research, to assist the Coast Guard regarding needs for Arctic infrastructure, communication, and sensors. During the workshop, participants identifed key areas where scientifc research and development eforts could improve Coast Guard mission capability. Groups brainstormed research questions related to virtual aids to navigation, voice communications, and consolidated climate and environmental data.1 Based on these questions and on Coast Guard priorities and capability gaps, the Center for Maritime, Island and Remote and Extreme Environment Security (MIREES) invited research proposals focused on achieving greater situational awareness within the Arctic maritime domain, including the area in and around the Bering Strait. MIREES also encouraged research ideas that included approaches to minimize technological risk; communications, including fusing information into a useable common operating picture; and proposals that addressed improving oil spill detection, tracking, and recovery in the Arctic. Examples of resultant projects follow. Enhancing Vessel Detection and Tracking in the Arctic Led by Dr. Thomas Weingartner at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, this collaborative project merges four separate technologies: ■ an autonomous power supply; ■ Automatic Identifcation System vessel tracking technology; Greg Walker, with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, prepares a drone for a mission to check the ice in the harbor of Nome, Alaska, on Tuesday. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Offcer Charly Hengen. 84 Proceedings ■ VHF digital selective calling radio receiver technology; ■ algorithms that permit high-frequency shore-based radars (commonly used to measure surface currents) to enhance the Coast Guard's ability to detect and track vessels in Arctic waters. project was to fy a small-unmanned aircraft system (UAS), tailored to improve the satellite retrieval algorithms, with the ultimate goal of improving satellite data product accuracy. The unmanned system can improve a cutter's situational awareness by flying The goals: Assess the performance of these technologies separately and in aggregate, in an Arctic coastal setting, to provide comprehensive maritime domain awareness in remote Arctic regions. The results from the feld test will help determine what additional capabilities Coast Guard Rear Adm. Tom Ostebo, District 17 commander, learns are required to attain about the capabilities of an Aeryon Scout unmanned aerial vehicle at operational readiness. the Nome City Hall, Jan. 13, 2012. Denise Michels, the mayor of Nome, provided a tour of the ongoing fuel transfer preparations in Nome. U.S. Significant technolog- Coast Guard photo by Petty Offcer Charly Hengen. ical fndings include: ahead of the ship to scan the ice features. ■ The remote power module was Its capabilities include streaming surface deployed without fossil fuels and was sea-ice observations, as either video or still able to deliver sufcient power for geographic maps, directly onto the bridge all instruments and communications and providing information regarding leads, equipment for the 121-day feld season. ridges, rubble felds, and other potentially ■ All battery bank voltage and current hazardous sea ice formations to improve data, run time data, environmental navigation. Other benefits may include conditions, battery state-of-charge, reduced risk of ice damage, reduced mainand fuel usage statistics were logged at tenance costs, extended equipment life, 10-second intervals during the course and improved fuel consumption and speed, of the test. which could increase on-station research ■ While some materials degraded in the days. marine environment, system perforThe UAS project was helpful in assisting mance was nearly identical between USCGC Healy's eforts to escort tanker vessel the two feld seasons. Renda to Nome, Alaska, in January 2012. 2 ■ Only nine percent of the total power The unmanned system provided critical generated came from the photovoltaic and timely information on ice movements array. ofshore, and helped CGC Healy's crew to determine the best location to moor the A number of improvements were identifed tanker vessel to ofoad the critical heating for optimizing system performance. These oil. consist of a backdoor communication route into the data logger, a low EMI-emitting power supply for the data acquisition Endnotes: 1. Information and presentations from this workshop computer used on the HF radar instrumentation and incorporating liquid-tite fexible can be found at www.hsuniversityprograms.org. 2. Finally! Fuel tanker moored of Nome, gearing up conduit for array and radar cables. Improvement of Space-Based Sea Ice Retrievals with Low-altitude, in-situ Observations Led by Dr. Greg Walker at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, the purpose of this Summer 2013 delivery. Anchorage, Alaska: Article by MSNBC. com staf and news service reports; The Associated Press contributed to this report, updated in January 2012. www.uscg.mil/proceedings