Aerial coastal and seabed videos

Since 1984, the Geological Survey of Canada (Atlantic) has carried out a program of collecting low-level aerial oblique video of the coastlines of Arctic and Eastern Canada. Most surveys were completed in co-operation with the Canadian Coast Guard in the south and Polar Continental Shelf Project in the north.

The aerial video was taken from a helicopter flying at an altitude of about 100 - 150 m, at a speed of less than 170 km/hr, a few hundred metres from shore. Since 1996 the field video has been synchronized with GPS positioning data collected on the aircraft. Positional accuracy is estimated to be about 100 metres. Before 1996 the navigation for the video was provided using topographic maps. The tapes include commentary on coastal geology, processes and location. The tapes are available to the public. Although intended primarily for oil spill contingency planning and coastal mapping purposes, GIS mapping the videos have been used for diverse applications including: teaching aids, promotion of film locations, identification of property erosion, and planning kayak and canoe expeditions.

The location of coastal and seabed videos produced by the Geological Survey of Canada are shown on a series of maps. The videos include views of the seabed from manned and unmanned underwater vehicles and aerial views of the coastline.

Coastal coverage

More than 15,000 km of shoreline have been captured including all of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Îsles de la Madeleine and New Brunswick, as well as large segments of Newfoundland and Labrador (Table 1) and the Arctic (Table 2) . In addition aerial coastal video flown in the early 1980s along Atlantic Nova Scotia and Southeast Newfoundland by Mobil Oil and PetroCanada Limited are archived and available (VHS format only) for viewing at at GSCA in Dartmouth N.S. The video was flown in support of their application for exploratory drilling for oil and gas offshore.

Repetitive Coverage

Although parts of the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland have been reflown since the original video was flown by industry in the early 1980s, the only location where repetitive video was intentionally flown to analyse coastal change was along the Northumberland Strait shore of Nova Scotia. Repetitive video surveys flown in 1988 and 2000 were very useful for documenting changes in backshore and upper beach features including the position and condition of tidal and wave washover channels, the build up or loss of beach sand, the condition of dunes and shore cliffs and the presence of man-made structures. More abundant, continuous and larger shore protection structures armoured the backshore and harbour facilities in 2000 than 1988. In 2000 artificial shore structures were identified along a total of 30.5 km of backshore which is 6.5% of the total Pictou County shoreline. The increase in artificial backshore structures along the outer shores, where repetitive video was available in both years, was only about 1% but the increase was concentrated along a few short segments of shoreline e.g. Murray Beach. Furthermore there was an increase in the number and size of shore residences "mansionization"in 2000. The implication is that these developments will have a greater impact on the natural evolution of the adjacent shores and a longer term impact on coastal stability farther away.

Availablity of aerial and seabed videos

Much of the coastal video has been edited and released as the Geological Survey of Canada Coastal Video Open Files. Unreleased (unedited) coverage is also available upon request.

Most coastal video tape masters are 45 to 60 minutes in length and can be copied to VHS or DVD-R formats. Please specify format when ordering.

If you wish additional information or wish to order copies of specific segments of aerial video contact Dave Frobel. Blank discs or tapes are requested to fill your order.