ИСТИНА

Ice gouging is a natural process typical for the coastal-shelf zone of freezing seas; because it leads to damaging of the infrastructure, it can also be related to the category of hazardous processes. To lower the risks of occurrence and to prevent emergencies and their consequences, comprehensive monitoring of dangerous natural processes is necessary. With all lithologic and geomorphologic conditions being equal, the intensity of the ice gouging on the bottom is mostly determined by the changing condition, area and thickness of the ice cover. To assess the real intensity of the ice gouging impact during a given ice season, repeated sounding of the sea bottom topography is necessary; it helps to select the ice gouges which appeared between the two consequent observations. At present, the methods and technologies of the monitoring of ice gouging processes are not standardized, and the monitoring, if it is conducted, is often sporadic and lacks systematization. Therefore, the development of a united technology of comprehensive monitoring of ice gouging processes in the coastal and shelf zone is one of the most important tasks of the modern fundamental and applied studies. Our team was the first one to apply such integrative technology in 2005-2016 during the investigations preceding the construction of the underwater oil and gas pipeline in Baydaratskaya Bay, Kara Sea and in the north of the Caspian Sea.