Radar Investigations of Proposed Utilidor Sites at South Pole Station.

• Main Authors: Delaney, Allan J., Arcone, Steven A., Rand, John H.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1999
• Subjects: Active & Passive Radar Detection & Equipment; Solid Wastes Pollution and Control; *GROUND PENETRATING RADAR; BURIED OBJECTS; SITE INVESTIGATIONS; *UTILIDOR CONSTRUCTION; BURIED DEBRIS; SOUTH POLE STATION; SNOW TUNNELS; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA367042; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA367042

At South Pole Station, ground penetrating radar profiles were recorded along the surveyed S-N and W-E routes of two proposed snow tunnels that would function as future water and sewer utilidors. The radar system was operated from within the cab of a tracked vehicle that towed two antennas in a sled. The two antennas transmitted pulses centered near 900 and 400 MHz to provide near-surface detail to penetration depths of 4.1 and 15.0 m, respectively. Eight longitudinal profiles, 518 m long, were recorded along the proposed S-N water line route, and 12 longitudinal profiles, 366 m long, were recorded along the proposed W-E sewer line route. Additional S-N profiles were recorded on the W-E route to delineate a particularly intense reflection. The profiles show that both proposed corridors contain many large and small buried items. Multiple targets at depths of 3.0 to 4.9 m occur along the S-N line. Along the W-E lines, there are multiple targets at similar depths. A particular area is densely cluttered and large targets appear on multiple parallel lines. Near the dome isolated targets appear at depths as great as 7.6 m.