Moreover, such data will be immensely valuable in short-term predictions of ice conditions. Particularly on this voyage, suggestions given by the Captain and Russian scientists were highly valuable in determination of the ship course. By combining this experience-based forecasting with numerical forecasts made by computers using satellite information, future navigators will be capable of predicting ice conditions with great efficiency and accuracy.
Although the SSM/I images were extremely useful on this voyage, their low spatial resolution of 25km provided insufficient information on ice conditions. The SSM/I data should eventually be utilized for medium-to-long-range planning of route selection, longer than a period of a day, and also as complementary data for use in obtaining particular data in detail from SAR. The usefulness of SAR would be greatly enhanced if it were combined with the wide-area images to be provided by the RADARSAT and ICESTAR programs. By improving the accessibility and availability of the data, together with validation of accumulated in-situ data, an algorithm of conversion of SAR image signals into ice maps should be developed for safe and reliable NSR operation in future. Data backed by the wealth of experience of Maritime Operation Headquarters of Russia can be used with a great deal of confidence. Unfortunately the present confusion in Russia's political state is choking off the supply of this information.
