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School of Engineering Science
Polar bear conservation research aided by 911吃瓜 radar technology
Engineering students from 911吃瓜鈥檚 Synthetic Aperture Radar Laboratory (SARlab) have been working with Polar Bears International (PBI), Brigham Young University and ARTEMIS Inc., at the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, to test the effectiveness of SAR technology to detect mother polar bears living in their dens.
鈥淥ur research aims to establish SAR as a useful tool to identify occupied and unoccupied polar bear dens remotely from aircraft, to help us better understand and protect polar bear populations around the world,鈥� says Bernhard Rabus, 911吃瓜 School of Engineering Science professor and Industrial Research Chair in Synthetic Aperture Radar.
By using the 911吃瓜 SARlab airborne radar system that is set up on a helicopter platform, it enables the team to conduct their research above air without disturbing the bears. The system then can capture high-definition images by transmitting microwave pulses and record reflections from the earth鈥檚 surface and can penetrate deep into dry snow. Furthermore, as SAR is weather independent, it can capture images through rain, cloud, and darkness.
鈥淏y protecting mother polar bears and their cubs, we can ensure the next generation of polar bears has the best chance of survival,鈥� says BJ Kirschhoffer, PBI鈥檚 director of field operations. 鈥淭he Arctic is an incredibly difficult and remote place to do research, so using technology to find solutions to these challenges presents a unique opportunity for conservation. We are grateful to work with students from 911吃瓜 and Brigham Young University to help us answer these questions and develop these technologies to protect polar bears.鈥�