Dear All,

The Robeson Channel Suitable for Suspension Cabling to Prevent ice Escape?


Please find enclosed a brief satellite animation on the Robeson Channel from 
this summer which suggest that use of bridge-style suspension cabling could 
hold ice in place and prevent it moving into the warm waters further along the 
channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland. The link attached below which 
shows the summertime ice movements.


http://www.greenpeace.org/finland/fi/mediakeskus/lehdistotiedotteet/greenpeace-dokumentoi-pohjoise


The shortest suspension cables would be Ellesmere - Hans Island - Greenland two 
stretches 8 and 12 kilometres wide. (The concept is to create ice congestion 
behind barrier that forms a self-locking jam of pack ice behind cable so that 
ice survives longer in the cold waters that if allowed to float to the south.)

On the negative side, the ice amount south of any successful cable barrier will 
decrease. 

 

The impact of cables for boats, whales and other wild life would have to be 
addressed. After melting, the barrier cable is lowered to the seafloor, or, 
when the sea ice is on northward reverse movement. The cable barrier is raised 
up to surface whenever there is ice flow moving southward. It is also raised up 
to surface in autumn for the winter freeze.

In Nunavut, the suspension cabling could help to keep the North West Passage 
clear of thick sea ice floes that damage ships while preserving ice on the 
north side of the channel. 

 

The benefit for the shipping may help to justify a cable system in Nunavut 
arhcipelago. 

 

Cables could enlarge the profiles of the Swalbard Islands and Franz Joseph Land 
by blocking the straights between islands by cables. This would increase the 
ice congestion behind these archipelagoes and decrease the sea ice escape from 
the high Arctic Basin.

I have not considered blocking of the Fram Staight due to its width, but 
materially the largest amount of sea ice loss through escape occurs there. The 
barriers to sea ice movement can slow down ice movement and reduce ice loss to 
the south due to decreases in ice movements - but if ice melts away due to warm 
weather behind the barrier, the cable measures become all but useless for the 
part of year when there is sheer lack of ice.

Kind regards,

Albert

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Greenpeace dokumentoi pohjoisen pallonpuoliskon jäätiköiden sulamista
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:18:14 +0300

http://www.greenpeace.org/finland/fi/mediakeskus/lehdistotiedotteet/greenpeace-dokumentoi-pohjoise
                                          
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