Federal funds provided to Quebec company to advance development of technology to forecast severe weather events

The Government of Canada, through the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will invest $650,000 to support cutting-edge severe weather forecasting technology being developed at the National Optics Institute (INO).

The contract was awarded to INO to further develop and test a new thermal imaging sensor – far infrared radiometer (FIRR) – that requires no cooling and is compact enough to fly on a very small satellite, notes a press release issued Monday by Industry Canada.

The instrument will detect ice clouds forming at high latitudes that contribute to the cold, dry air masses feeding mid-latitude winter storms. Satellite measurements of these clouds and their impacts on atmospheric cooling will improve the ability to forecast severe weather events like unusual winter storms, the statement adds.

The technology will be tested in an airborne campaign in the Canadian Arctic in the spring of 2015 and in a ground-based campaign at Eureka in winter 2015-2016. Analysis of the FIRR data from the two campaigns will leverage resources from several major university research projects supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

“This is an important step towards the development of a space-borne instrument of this type,” notes the federal statement. “This will be the first of its kind and may eventually open new commercial opportunities for Canadian industry.”

Industry Minister James Moore made the funding announcement while visiting INO in Quebec City. The funding will allow scientists to conduct essential experiments to better understand why and how winter storms occur.

Industry Canada reports that INO remains a real catalyst in the greater Quebec region and is one of the drivers of the economy. A key part of supporting manufacturers is ensuring that they have global markets for the goods they produce, Industry Canada reports.

“Today’s investment to develop critical weather forecasting technology will only strengthen Quebec’s contribution to Canada’s space industry,” Moore says.

“We are committed to further advancing thermal sensor technology, and we are thrilled to work on this project,” adds Jean-Yves Roy, INO’s president and chief executive officer.

James Moore, Canada’s Minister of Industry. Photo courtesy of Industry Canada