Design, Optimization and Calibration of an Automated Density Gauge for Firn and Ice Cores
A gamma-ray density gauge can provide high-resolution and high-precision density measurements of firn and ice cores. This study describes the design, gamma-ray energy optimization and mass attenuation coefficient calibration of the Maine Automated Density Gauge Experiment (MADGE), a portable, field-...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | unknown |
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DigitalCommons@UMaine
2009
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| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/28 https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=ers_facpub |
| Summary: | A gamma-ray density gauge can provide high-resolution and high-precision density measurements of firn and ice cores. This study describes the design, gamma-ray energy optimization and mass attenuation coefficient calibration of the Maine Automated Density Gauge Experiment (MADGE), a portable, field-operable gamma-ray density gauge used on overland traverses in East Antarctica. The MADGE instrument uses a (241)Am gamma-ray source, a pulse-mode counting system and electronic core diameter calipers to collect high-precision (+/- 0.004 g cm(-3)) density data from 3-8 cm diameter firn and ice cores. The data are collected at a 3.3 mm spatial resolution and an average throughput of 1.5 m h(-1) for 5 cm diameter cores. |
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