GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR FOR STUDIES OF PEATLANDS IN PERMAFROST
M.S. Sudakova1,2, M.R. Sadurtdinov1, A.M. Tsarev1, A.G. Skvortsov1, G.V. Malkova1
1Earth Cryosphere Institute, Tyumen Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Malygina 86, Tyumen, 625026, Russia
2M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Moscow, 119234, Russia
Keywords: GPR, dynamic parameters, attenuation, volumetric water content
Abstract
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiling is applicable to study peatlands and swampy areas in permafrost but have some limitations in summer time. Theoretical calculations and field experiments show that estimating attenuation of electromagnetic waves is required for planning GPR survey. Radar images acquired with a 300 MHz antenna fail to resolve reflections from below the permafrost if the thaw/permafrost boundary is deeper than 1.5 m and the attenuation coefficient is 0.7, as in water-saturated peat. GPR data allow high-resolution lithological division of permafrost and provide reliable constraints on the depths to interfaces and physical properties of the ground. Thus, GPR can fully or partly substitute for the time- and labor-consuming direct measurements. The inferences have been confirmed by field results.
DOI: 10.15372/RGG2019059
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