Bulletin No. 89 

 REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC 



Season of 2003 

 CG-1 88-58 



Forwarded herewith is Bulletin No. 89 of the International Ice Patrol (IIP), describing the 

 Patrol's services, ice observations and conditions during the 2003 season. On March 1 , 

 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard transitioned from the Department of Transportation to the 

 newly created Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland 

 Security will continue to recognize and support the U. S. Coast Guard's traditional 

 missions like the International Ice Patrol. 



Pictured on the front cover of this bulletin is the deployment of a Compact Air Launched 

 Ice Beacon (CALIB). IIP deployed this beacon and tracked the iceberg for 13 days. This 

 allowed a comparison to HP's present drift model and opened the door for future 

 experiments in 2004. Drift model improvements will better focus reconnaissance efforts 

 and ultimately improve the accuracy of IIP bulletins. Appendix D of this report provides 

 further detail. 



In 2003, IIP also participated in the Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security 

 (GMES), a joint European Commission and European Space Agency initiative. As part 

 of the Northern View Service Element, IIP worked closely with a Canadian company, C- 

 CORE to evaluate an iceberg detection algorithm for satellite images. Along with 

 validating the accuracy of this algorithm, IIP focused on the mechanics of incorporating 

 this data into MP's drift model. The capability to use satellite imagery operationally, while 

 still several years away, will greatly improve iceberg reconnaissance efforts - especially 

 in the planning phase for aircraft searches. 



Efforts during the 2003 season advanced MP's improvement of mission execution, 

 directly supported the stewardship of valuable Coast Guard resources and moved IIP 

 one step closer toward eliminating the risk of iceberg collision. 



M. R. Hicks 



Commander, U. S. Coast Guard 



Commander, International Ice Patrol 



