SIMBA provides reliable, long-term data gathering and monitoring solutions which help understand changes in sea ice, river ice and snow in extreme and inaccessible locations.
Examples of uses:
SEA ICE - Climate and environmental research
RIVER ICE - Flood forecasting
SNOW - Avalanche prediction aid
Originally designed for monitoring Polar sea-ice, SIMBA (Snow Ice Mass Balance Apparatus) units comprise an autonomous platform and a chain of digital temperature chip sensors. The devices capture unique data that are not available through Satellite or other means. The instrument is compact and easy to deploy via a 5cm auger hole. A standard SIMBA chain is capable of providing a temperature profile across 4.8m of length, with temperature readings made every 2cm accurate to +/- 0.0625°C (other lengths available). The units also incorporate data telemetry (via Iridium SBD), have in-built GPS for tracking sea-ice movement, a magnetometer for tilt and floe rotation, and a barometer for surface air pressure. An internal and external sensor can also be provided for local ambient air temperature readings and pelicase temperature.
SIMBA provides a reliable means for continuous monitoring of Polar ice thickness (growth and decay), providing time evolution across annual cycles. The low cost allows multiple unit deployment in an array, to improve spatial variability data. The data obtained is ideally suited for process model evaluation (e.g., determination of ice-ocean energy exchange), for weather forecasting in Polar Regions and for monitoring of sea-ice thickness/state for transport and shipping applications.
SIMBA also has a number of terrestrial applications. The devices can be used to monitor snow melt (flooding prediction) and to the structure of the snowpack in mountainous areas (avalanche predicitons). In the remote Arctic territories, SIMBA units can be deployed for real-time monitoring of Ice Road conditions.
SIMBA units have been deployed in Scotland, the Arctic and Antarctic regions for 6+ years.
Data collected includes:
Email: info@sams-enterprise.com
+44 (0) 1631 559 470