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North Pole Dominick: Search on Thursday with thermal camera
14:02 p.m. EST Mar 15, 2004
"If the weather permits, Francois Bernard hopes to continue the search on Thursday, the 18th of March." Bernard Buiges has the thermal camera from Holland and is en route to Khatanga. He is expected to arrive from Moscow tomorrow.
Also, Bernard says, "..the Russians are offering their help, and the search crew has no problems, for example, with authorizations." The only snag to hold back the helis at this point it seems is the weather.
A thermal imaging camera converts thermal energy into a visible image. Firefighters often use the camera to see through the smoke, locate people in a burning house, and even locate a hidden fire.
On the ice the thermal camera should see a human very clearly as there is a huge heat difference between a skier and the ice. As you can see from the image to the left, even the heat signature from a recent footprint is picked up.
For more information about thermal cameras, check out the link to Bullard’s site on the left. Bullard is a manufacturer of thermal imaging and other rescue devices. It is not known what brand of thermal imager the rescuers will be using to search for Dominick with.
Five expeditions have set out for a North Pole expedition this year, all from the Russian side. Wave Vidmar to be the first American to ski solo and unsupported to the North Pole. Frédéric Chamard-Boudet to do the same for France. British Ben Saunders attempts a first solo, unsupported crossing. Danish/French duo Bettina Aller and Jean Gabriel Leynaud ski to the pole with support and French/Finnish woman Dominick Arduin attempts the first solo, female North Pole trek with support.
The global warming of the recent years have posed increasingly harsher conditions for North Pole expeditions. The skiers have faced more and more water, even taking to swim the Arctic ocean to reach their goal. Some have brought canoes to paddle, especially when going from the Russian side.
Last Friday, a big open water lead just off the starting point posed the first immediate problem for this years expeditions. Two solo skiers, French/Finnish woman Dominick and Frenchman Frederic decided to ski/paddle across the huge, 55 km semi open water area, in an attempt for a clean North Pole expedition (which must start from land).
Dominick estimated that her crossing to solid ice would take at least 2 days. An avid canoeist living in Arctic Finland, she is used to cold and water. She brought 10 kg of snow with her for fresh water, a canoe and a dry suit.
Several North Pole teams reported issues with their ARGOS positioning beacon. Dominick's beacon transmitted only faint signals.
Monday night a storm hit the area. The temperature was -30C/F, with strong winds. Expeditions reported a drift of 1km/hour (15 miles/day) NorthWest, with a visibility of around 40 ft. There are large patches of thin ice creating dangerous ice walls like the one that consumed the Russian Research station. In addition a full moon Saturday caused tidal changes weakening the ice.
Frederic Chamard-Boudet, fell in the water and was rescued. He is treated for severe frostbite.
Dominick is missing since 10 days.
Image of a thermal imager and a screenshot courtesy of Bullard. Bullard manufactures thermal imagers and other rescue equipment.
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