Electrical Resistivity Soundings of Glacier Beds: A Test Study on Grubengletscher, Wallis, Swiss Alps
Abstract Electrical resistivity sounding, using electrodes which are lowered directly to the ice–rock interface in bore holes, is proposed as a technique for studying the exact position of glacier beds, as well as their lithological characteristics. A test study is described on Grubengletscher, a pa...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1984
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000006250 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000006250 |
Summary: | Abstract Electrical resistivity sounding, using electrodes which are lowered directly to the ice–rock interface in bore holes, is proposed as a technique for studying the exact position of glacier beds, as well as their lithological characteristics. A test study is described on Grubengletscher, a partially cold Alpine glacier in Switzerland. Results of soundings along a 400m long profile indicate that previous depth determinations, based on radio echo-soundings, were in general accurate to within less than 5% of the actual ice thickness. The results also show that the glacier rests on non-consolidated sediments of considerable thickness. The proposed method could add substantial information about glacier sliding and glacier erosion, if applied alongside conventional deep drilling projects. |
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