Application of 3D Laser Scanning to the Preservation of Fort Conger, a Historic Polar Research Base on Northern Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Fort Conger, located in Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, is a historic landmark of national and international significance. The site is associated with many important Arctic expeditions, including the ill-fated Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of the First International Polar Year and Robert Peary's attempts to claim the North Pole. Although situated in one of the most remote locations on earth, Fort Conger is currently at risk because of the effects of climate change, weather, wildlife, and human activity. In this paper, we show how 3D laser scanning was used to record cultural features rapidly and accurately despite the harsh conditions present at the site. We discuss how the future impacts of natural processes and human activities can be managed using 3D scanning data as a baseline, how conservation and restoration work can be planned from the resulting models, and how 3D models created from laser scanning data can be used to excite public interest in cultural stewardship and Arctic history.Key words: laser scanning, heritage preservation, Arctic exploration, inorganic contamination, virtual reality, computer modeling RÉSUMÉ. Fort Conger, situé dans le parc national Quttinirpaaq, sur l'île d'Ellesmere, est un lieu historique d'importance nationale et internationale. Ce site est lié à de nombreuses expéditions arctiques importantes, dont l'infortunée expédition de la baie Lady Franklin relevant de la première année polaire internationale et les tentatives de revendication du pôle Nord par Robert Peary. Bien qu'il se trouve dans l'un des endroits les plus éloignés du globe, Fort Conger subit actuellement les risques découlant des effets du changement climatique, des conditions météorologiques, de la faune et de l'activité humaine. Dans cette communication, nous montrons comment un scanneur laser 3D a permis de répertorier les caractéristiques culturelles avec rapidité et précision malgré les conditions difficiles qui ont cours à ce site. Nous discutons de la manière dont les incidences futures des processus naturels et de l'activité humaine peuvent être gérées à l'aide des données 3D comme données de base, comment les travaux de conservation et de restauration peuvent être planifiés à partir des modèles qui en résultent et comment les modèles 3D créés à partir des données de scannage laser peuvent rehausser l'intérêt du grand public à l'égard de la gérance culturelle et de l'histoire de l'Arctique.Mots clés : scannage laser, préservation du patrimoine, exploration de l'Arctique, contamination inorganique, réalité virtuelle, modélisation informatisée Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguère.

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