Attention:
Operation of the EM Bird requires experienced personnel on board the aircraft.
Summary
The EM-Bird is a digital frequency-domain electromagnetic-induction (EM) system, dedicated for measurements of sea ice thickness. It is a technique that can achieve profiles of several kilometer length. For the airborne measurements the EM Bird is dragged along a tow rope below the aircraft at low altitude over the ice. It can be winch up and down for transit lines, take off and landing.
| Manufacturer | Ferra Dynamics Inc. |
|---|---|
| Model | |
| Serial No. | n/a |
| Type | radar system |
| SENSOR-Link | ↪ |
Contacts
| Name | Institution | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Stefan Hendricks | Alfred-Wegener-Institute | Data Scientist |
| Jan Rohde | AWI | Device Contact |
Components and Specifications
The EM-Bird system comprises the EM-Bird itself, which is lowered to the ice during flight. For deployment a winch is installed inside the aircraft. Power supply unit and operator PC are located on the winch.
Specifications of the EM-Bird (without mounting)
Dimension Sensor (max. diameter x L) |
360 x 3600 mm |
|---|---|
Dimension Tail Unit (L x W x H) |
1060 x 1060 x 590 mm |
Weight |
~100 kg |
Power Supply |
28 VDC and 220 VAC |
Data interface |
serial, ethernet |
Position
| Info | The EM Bird is fastened to the fuselage within a cage. During flight it can be lowered and towed closely above ground. The winch and data aquisition are installed in the cabin. |
Data logging, storage and archiving
Logged parameter
| Parameter | Sensor Output Type | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| sea ice thickness | sea ice thickness | m |