Towards a common terminology in radioglaciology

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Schlegel, Rebecca, Kulessa, Bernd, Murray, Tavi, Eisen, Olaf
• Other Authors: Swansea University, School of Earth Sciences Hobart, University of Tasmania Hobart, Australia (UTAS), Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung = Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research = Institut Alfred-Wegener pour la recherche polaire et marine (AWI), Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft = Helmholtz Association, Institut Terre Environnement Strasbourg (ITES), École Nationale du Génie de l'Eau et de l'Environnement de Strasbourg (ENGEES)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut d’Etudes Avancées de l’Université de Strasbourg - Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Annals of Glaciology
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04057970; https://hal.science/hal-04057970/document; https://hal.science/hal-04057970/file/towards-a-common-terminology-in-radioglaciology.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2023.2

International audience Abstract Over the past 70 years, many different components of the cryosphere have been imaged with a variety of radar systems using increasingly sophisticated processing techniques. These systems use various pulse lengths, signal frequencies and, in some cases, modulated signals. The increasing diversity of radar systems has created the potential for confusion due to the use of non-consistent terminology. Here we provide an overview of state-of-the-science radar technologies and suggest a simplified and unified terminology for use by the cryosphere community. We recommend a terminology that is target independent but specifies the characteristics of the signal. Following this recommendation, commercial impulse systems that penetrate the subsurface should be referred to as ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and pulse radars as radio-echo sounding (RES). Continuous-wave (CW) radar systems should be referred to as ground-penetrating CW radars. We further suggest any additional characterisation of the system be expressed using descriptors that specify the platform it is mounted on (e.g. airborne) or the frequency range (e.g. HF (high frequency)) or modulation (e.g. FM (frequency modulated)).