Researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks have developed a new technology using synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) to detect hazardous sections of open water in frozen rivers in Alaska during winter. This technology can also be applied across the Arctic, where open water zones pose similar dangers. By identifying these open water zones, researchers hope to create hazard maps to assist travelers, particularly in rural areas where residents rely on frozen rivers as “ice highways” for fishing and hunting.
The classification system developed by the researchers aims to distinguish between ice and open water holes in the ice, providing crucial information for safe travel. With climate change causing Arctic warming and altering the freezing patterns of rivers, open water zones are becoming more common during mid-winter, presenting a significant risk to those traveling on frozen rivers. The study noted that arctic warming is leading to later freezing and an earlier break-up of ice, impacting rural winter river travel.
The study focused on developing a method that could work effectively from October to January, when open water zones pose the greatest threat. Researchers collected data from eight Alaska rivers to develop the river ice classification system, taking into account factors such as volume, width, glacial silt content, and channel types. By customizing and automating this technology, it can be used to provide current open water zone maps for any northern latitude rivers, not just in Alaska. The availability of SAR data and the collaboration with communities and scientists worldwide have made this research possible.
