Comparison of ground-based and airborne transient electromagnetic methods for mapping glacial and permafrost environments: Cases from McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparison of ground-based and airborne transient electromagnetic methods for mapping glacial and permafrost environments

T2 - Cases from McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

AU - Madsen, Line M.

AU - Bording, Thue

AU - Grombacher, Denys

AU - Foged, Nikolaj

AU - Foley, Neil

AU - Dugan, Hilary A.

AU - Doran, Peter T.

AU - Mikucki, Jill

AU - Tulaczyk, Slawek

AU - Auken, Esben

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2022/7

Y1 - 2022/7

N2 - The transient electromagnetic (TEM) method is a non-invasive geophysical tool well-suited for subsurface imaging in cold and polar regions, where common targets are associated with strong contrasts in electrical resistivity. By imaging the electrical properties of the subsurface, the TEM methods can discriminate between geological units such as frozen ground (permafrost), fresh/saline groundwater systems, and bedrock/glacier ice. In this study, we compare TEM data acquired with ground-based and airborne TEM systems. We demonstrate the mapping capabilities of these two approaches in high latitude polar environments with datasets from Taylor Glacier, Lake Vanda, and Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The results show a high consistency between the airborne and ground-based TEM data, both with a high resolution and a deep penetration depth down to hundreds of meters due to the resistive background material, which makes both approaches capable of mapping hydrological systems and identifying the base of glaciers. The airborne TEM approach offers an unmatched spatial data coverage in difficult terrain and a far improved lateral resolution compared to the static ground-based system. The ground-based TEM system offers the possibility for using larger transmitter coils and longer stacking times and therefore has potential for reaching deeper penetration depths. The ground-based TEM approach is hence a valuable tool that can provide consistent imaging results while also being far more accessible in terms of cost and field logistics compared to an airborne TEM campaign.

AB - The transient electromagnetic (TEM) method is a non-invasive geophysical tool well-suited for subsurface imaging in cold and polar regions, where common targets are associated with strong contrasts in electrical resistivity. By imaging the electrical properties of the subsurface, the TEM methods can discriminate between geological units such as frozen ground (permafrost), fresh/saline groundwater systems, and bedrock/glacier ice. In this study, we compare TEM data acquired with ground-based and airborne TEM systems. We demonstrate the mapping capabilities of these two approaches in high latitude polar environments with datasets from Taylor Glacier, Lake Vanda, and Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The results show a high consistency between the airborne and ground-based TEM data, both with a high resolution and a deep penetration depth down to hundreds of meters due to the resistive background material, which makes both approaches capable of mapping hydrological systems and identifying the base of glaciers. The airborne TEM approach offers an unmatched spatial data coverage in difficult terrain and a far improved lateral resolution compared to the static ground-based system. The ground-based TEM system offers the possibility for using larger transmitter coils and longer stacking times and therefore has potential for reaching deeper penetration depths. The ground-based TEM approach is hence a valuable tool that can provide consistent imaging results while also being far more accessible in terms of cost and field logistics compared to an airborne TEM campaign.

KW - Antarctica

KW - Electromagnetic theory

KW - Hydrogeophysics

KW - Transient EM

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129764026&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103578

DO - 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103578

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85129764026

SN - 0165-232X

VL - 199

JO - Cold Regions Science and Technology

JF - Cold Regions Science and Technology

M1 - 103578

ER -