Grants and Contributions

The locations of zooplankton-food for Right Whales can be linked to ocean fronts which can therefore be a predictor for their habitat. The reserachers propose to detect these fronts from sea surface temperature patterns, which can be obtained from satellite observations. Their focus is the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is recognized as a whale feeding area. Using probability distribution functions of frontal activity and whale sightings, they will develop probability maps for Right Whale aggregation patterns. They will also correlate these results with satellite-derived indices of dominant currents, like the Gaspé Current, which provides the zooplankton-food for the whales.

This project aims at discovering new knowledge about the contribution of large-scale ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves to energy, momentum, and mass transfer in near-Earth’s space. This objective will be achieved by utilizing the advanced diagnostic capabilities of Borealis, a digital SuperDARN radar system designed in Canada with world-leading space weather radar engineering, providing unmatched temporal resolution and spatial coverage.

Freshwater ice thickness and snow water equivalent provide a proxy for monitoring climate, however both are difficult to derive from conventional satellite observations. This project utilizes data from the Surface Water Ocean Topography Mission during the Fast Sampling (daily) and Science Data Collection (11 day repeat) phases to retrieve ice thickness and SWE for Kluane (Yukon) and Teshekpuk (Alaska) Lakes. Two sensors are utilized: 1) Ku-band altimeter, which has been shown to retrieve ice thickness from waveforms, and 2) Ka-band interferometric syntheric aperture radar that has demonstrated capability for snow retrievals, but has not been tested for snow on ice.

This project will use a comprehensive data set collected on at scales relevant to SWOT and Sentinel missions to understand ocean mixing and coastal currents in the Northeast Pacific. There is considerable variability in the region that is poorly resolved in older generation altimetry products, and most in situ observations. The reserachers will use high resolution shipboard surveys, underwater glider surveys, mooring measurements, and targeted float releases to groundtruth and enhance the data returned from the new generation of altimeters. The results will be used to test and improve operational and research ocean simulations, with applications to fish stocks and weather prediction.

The long-term objective of this project is to develop a low-cost wide field-of-view (FOV) optical system for debris detection from a nanosatellite. The project will aim to develop a more compact camera capable of real-time image processing for space surveillance in challenging lighting conditions. The project objectives are to design an advanced star field simulator to accurately represent challenging imaging environment, to develop an algorithm using neural network for star and RSO detection in non-ideal light conditions, and to design a real-time adaptive camera control in response to changes in illumination conditions.

This project is intended to validate a portable technology based on surface plasmon resonance and passively pumped microfluidic techniques for disease screening in mobile clinics, remote regions and in space. We will also train a generation of scientists capable of meeting the challenges of remote site health care. The research proposed in this project will lead to multiple benefits for Canada, including the availability of disease detection technology that works in remote communities, the strengthening of Canada's position as a leader in the development of space technologies, and the contribution to the development of commercial activities in this sector in Canada.

The Canadian Atmospheric Laser Absorption Spectroscopy Experiment Test-bed (CALASET) aims to build a suite of instruments to verify measurements from Earth observing satellites. Ensuring that these space-based instruments are performing well is critical for producing reliable environmental data for Canadians. The CALASET-NXT project goals are two-fold: Develop new technologies for studying the changing atmosphere and providing a validation and verification capability for current and future satellite missions, and provide concept-to-flight education and training for the students who will become the scientists and engineers needed for future satellite missions.

Researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T) have developed a handheld 3D printer for the treatment of severe skin burns and wounds sustained by astronauts during deep-space missions. During the project, the function of an upgraded 3D printer and enhanced bioink will be evaluated during reduced gravity flights about the National Research Council of Canada (NRC)’s Falcon aircraft. In parallel, the ability of enhanced bioink to promote healing and reduce scarring will be confirmed. This work and its findings will bring this technology one step closer to deployment for clinical use in space. The skin printer also has the potential to improve the care and health outcomes associated with severe burns and chronic wounds in hospitals, as well as in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada.

The project aim is to develop innovative space technology, specifically to develop and validate radiation-hardened RISC-V (Reduced Instructions Set Computing) microcontrollers. The microcontroller is based on an open-source RISC-V structure and will be fabricated with a 22nm FDSOI (Fully Depleted Silicon-on-Insulation) CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) technology to achieve high-speed and low-power performance. During the development of the project, training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQPs) will be emphasized. The project targets on developing core radiation tolerance technologies for future spacecraft missions and can improve on-board computing capabilities.

The Canadian federal government has announced that Canada will be a major international partner in the NASA Atmosphere Observing System (AOS) satellite mission through the contribution of a system of three innovative satellite instruments collectively called HAWC (High-altitude Aerosol, Water Vapour and Clouds). One of these three satellite instruments is called SHOW (Spatial Heterodyne Observations of Water). This project aims to develop a dedicated balloon-borne SHOW (Spatial Heterodyne Observations of Water) instrument and demonstrate the utility of this prototype for HAWC satellite mission validation with a test flight on a stratospheric balloon. This project will enable the training of several highly qualified personnel (HQP). SHOW as part of the HAWC Mission will advance understanding of how water vapour is evolving in response to climate change and the impact of that change on weather climate.