Iceberg Towing in Ice Conditions

Abstract

This paper presents field results and analysis of iceberg towing experiments performed in the Barents and Kara Sea in 2016-2017. For the first time ever in the industry, this research was based on a complex study of the icebergs origin and properties. For that purpose prior to the trials outlet glaciers of Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya were examined with airborne radar that allowed to measure their thickness and to build 3D models. Satellite remote sensing data were used to derive glacier fronts position, ice surface flow velocity, changes of glacier margins, and parameters of iceberg distribution. The data on the flow rates of the main glaciers were compared with the satellite beacons equipped with GPS (ARGOS) installed on several glaciers. Empirical relationships were derived to determine the mass and geometry of icebergs based on instrumental measurements and airborne data in the Barents and Kara seas. All this information was used to estimate iceberg towing possibilities in different conditions, analyze obtained data and deeper understand the process. Influence of oscillations during the towing process was studied. For a wide range of towing speeds, drag force coefficients were determined for icebergs of various sizes and shapes. Experimental iceberg towing operations performed in ice fields during the early stages of ice formation are described. These works were conducted in October 2017 in the Kara sea. Limitations of iceberg towing under different ice conditions are determined and discussed. Technological features of towing operations within negative air temperatures and the presence of sea ice are also highlighted.

Polar Ice as an Unconventional Water Resource: Opportunities and Challenges

“…On the other hand, the greatest challenge of iceberg utilization lies in the transport of a large iceberg over the ocean. Icebergs are a tremendous hazard to naval transportation [86], and their transport is associated with other disadvantages, including water and air temperature disturbances [87,88]. There are also possible direct impacts on the fauna and flora in habitats on the iceberg transport path [89,90].…”