Mapping subglacial surfaces of temperate valley glaciers by two-pass migration of a radio-echo sounding survey

• Main Authors: Welch, Brian C., Pfeffer, W. Tad, Harper, Joel T., Humphrey, Neil F.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: ScholarWorks at University of Montana 1998
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Glaciology; glacier; glaciers; Alaska
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/geosci_pubs/23; https://scholarworks.umt.edu/context/geosci_pubs/article/1035/viewcontent/igs_journal_vol44_issue146_pg164_170.pdf

High-resolution maps of the glacier bed are developed through a pseudo-three-dimensional migration of a dense array of radio-echo sounding profiles. Resolution of three-dimensional maps of sub-glacial surfaces is determined by the radio-echo sounding wavelength, data spacing in the field, and migration. Based on synthetic radio-echo sounding profile experiments, the maximum resolution of the final map cannot exceed one half-wavelength. A methodology of field and processing techniques is outlined to develop a maximum-resolution map of the glacier bed. The field and processing techniques valley glacier in south-central Alaska. The field techniques and the processing steps used on the glacier result in a map of 20 m x 20 m resolution.