High resolution radar mapping of the Cierva Point, Antarctic

• Main Authors: Travassos,Jandyr M, Musa,Jorge E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Geofísica 2010
• Subjects: GPR; radar stratigraphy; low reflectivity zone; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Cierva; Cierva Point; Antarc*; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-261X2010000200007

The excellent penetration of the electromagnetic field in ice favors the radar and the radio-echo sounding methods for the study of ice masses laying on Earth's surface. In particular the ground penetrating radar has proved to be very effective for surface-based studies of land and sea ice. The most ubiquitous radar signatures are reflections from the internal structure of ice, the so-called stratigraphic layers, or from the bedrock. In this paper we concentrate on some reflection phenomena other than on ice stratigraphy revealed on the ice cover of the Cierva Point, Antarctic Peninsula. We acquired 25 SW-NE and NE-SE profiles in an area of 140 × 175 m² with an acquisition train of 2 Nansen sledges dragged by a ski-doo. Radar sections revealed internal reflection horizons are caused by changes in dielectric properties as well as density fluctuations and preferred crystal orientation fabric.