Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/622654
the nRC is helping to advance marine safety by challenging and updating existing regulations. NRC tests physical models in the ice tank in St. John's Credit: National Research Council of Canada. NRC tests ice strength while traveling with the Canadian Coast Guard. Credit: National Research Council of Canada. With a diesel concentration in the soil of over 2000 parts per million (ppm) al- most 800 % above the 260 ppm allowed by federal guidelines, NRC employed a tech- nique known as "bioremediation" which uses naturally occurring microorganisms in the soil to break down the diesel con- tamination into less toxic or non-toxic sub- stances. Although typically lengthier than other methods, the bioremediation process is less disruptive to the environment and does not require the use of additional off- site resources. Six years later, ingenuity coupled with patience proved to be a winning combi- nation as the diesel concentration in the contaminated soil has dropped to an ac- ceptable average concentration of less than 260 ppm. World class facilities and expertise Much of NRC's research related to the Arctic environment is developed in its world class facilities in both Ottawa, On- tario and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. With a usable ice sheet of 76 X 12 m, NRC's St. John's ice tank is one of the largest facilities of its type in the world growing ice 2.5 mm per hour to a maxi- mum thickness of 200 mm. All types of ice conditions can be produced, from grey ice to multi-year ice as well as drifting pack ice, ice ridges, glacial and multiyear ice, bergy bits and growlers, among others. The 21 X 7 m Ottawa ice tank has a var- ied temperature ranging down to -20°C, easily accommodating a wave machine, producing the ice conditions expected while traveling in northern waters. It also provides vital testing to help detect, moni- tor and mitigate oil spills in Arctic condi- tions. Through these world-class facilities and thanks to a multidisciplinary approach, the National Research Council will continue to improve technologies like NRC's pres- sured ice model, vital equipment like LSAs and the design of structures like ports and harbours, to ensure that the Arctic is a safe place to live and to work. 44 DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016 www.vanguardcanada.com a aRCtIC