Seismic data from Colle Gnifetti glacie saddle around borehole KCI, Swiss Alps

• Main Authors: Diez, Anja, Eisen, Olaf, Hofstede, Coen Matthijs, Bohleber, Pascal, Polom, Ulrich
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2013
• Subjects: Colle_Gnifetti_KCI; Colle Gnifetti; Monte Rosa; Swiss Alps; File content; File size; ICEDRILL; Ice drill; Method comment; Uniform resource locator/link to sgy data file; Annals of Glaciology; ice core
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.833320; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.833320

Two seismic surveys were carried out on the high-altitude glacier saddle, Colle Gnifetti, Monte Rosa, Italy/Switzerland. Explosive and vibroseismic sources were tested to explore the best way to generate seismic waves to deduce shallow and intermediate properties (<100 m) of firn and ice. The explosive source (SISSY) excites strong surface and diving waves, degrading data quality for processing; no englacial reflections besides the noisy bed reflector are visible. However, the strong diving waves are analyzed to derive the density distribution of the firn pack, yielding results similar to a nearby ice core. The vibrator source (ElViS), used in both P- and SH-wave modes, produces detectable laterally coherent reflections within the firn and ice column. We compare these with ice-core and radar data. The SH-wave data are particularly useful in providing detailed, high-resolution information on firn and ice stratigraphy. Our analyses demonstrate the potential of seismic methods to determine physical properties of firn and ice, particularly density and potentially also crystal-orientation fabric.