Electrical Resistivity Soundings of Glacier Beds: A Test Study on Grubengletscher, Wallis, Swiss Alps

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Haeberli, Wilfried, Fisch, Werner
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1984
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000006250; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000006250

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.