Airborne Resistivity Mapping of Permafrost Near Fairbanks, Alaska

• Main Authors: Hoekstra, P., Sellmann, P. V., Delaney, A. J.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1974
• Subjects: Geology; Geochemistry and Mineralogy; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *PERMAFROST; *AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY; *GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS; *SOIL SURVEYS; *ALASKA; SUBSURFACE; ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE; TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS; FAIRBANKS(ALASKA); Fairbanks; Ice; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA000694; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA000694

Airborne resistivity methods using radio waves in three frequency bands were tested in the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska. The test sites were selected because much ground control is available for this area. The objectives of this study were to determine the ability of these methods to map permafrost and other soils and to investigate the advantages of multifrequency mapping. The airborne resistivity data obtained in this study were contoured and the contour maps were compared with surficial geological maps and other ground truth data available. The following conclusions were reached: (1) in areas where the near- surface sediments are relatively uniform, VLF resistivity best delineates permafrost; and (2) in areas where surface sediments vary widely (e.g., recent flood plains), resistivity at all frequencies gives little information on permafrost conditions, but provides other important information, such as bedrock type, depth to bedrock, soil type and layering.