Active Layer Stratigraphy and Organic Layer Thickness at a Thermokarst Site in Arctic Alaska Identified Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Gusmeroli, A.; Liu, Lingli; Schaefer, Kevin; Zhang, Tingjun; Schaefer, T.; Grosse, Guido

doi:10.1657/aaar00c-13-301

Cited by 21 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…The digitized record of reflected energy, known as a trace, is made at regular time intervals as the GPR unit is pulled along the ground and the graphic representation of a series of traces is a radargram. GPR technology has a long history of measuring ALT with acceptable accuracy in comparison with probe data [23][24][25][26][27].…”

Section: Ground Penetrating Radar (Gpr)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) at Barrow, Alaska Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

et al. 2015

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Active layer thickness (ALT) is a critical parameter for monitoring the status of permafrost that is typically measured at specific locations using probing, in situ temperature sensors, or other ground-based observations. Here we evaluated the Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) product that uses the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar technique to measure seasonal surface subsidence and infer ALT around Barrow, Alaska. We compared ReSALT with ground-based ALT obtained using probing and calibrated, 500 MHz Ground Penetrating Radar at multiple sites around Barrow. ReSALT accurately reproduced observed ALT within uncertainty of the GPR and probing data OPEN ACCESS Remote Sens. 2015, 7 3736 in ~76% of the study area. However, ReSALT was less than observed ALT in ~22% of the study area with well-drained soils and in ~1% of the area where soils contained gravel. ReSALT was greater than observed ALT in some drained thermokarst lake basins representing ~1% of the area. These results indicate remote sensing techniques based on InSAR could be an effective way to measure and monitor ALT over large areas on the Arctic coastal plain.

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Section: Ground Penetrating Radar (Gpr)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) at Barrow, Alaska Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

et al. 2015

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“…Previous studies used GPR to measure ALT on relatively small scales from tens of metres (Arcone et al ., ; Munroe et al ., ) up to several 100 m (Hubbard et al ., ; Gusmeroli et al ., ). During our work in Barrow, Alaska, in August 2013, we collected a total of nearly 15 km of spatially continuous GPR ALT measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Thawed soil in the active layer has higher dielectric permittivity (~30 to 40) than frozen soils in permafrost (3-10), resulting in a strong reflection at the permafrost table and making GPR a useful tool to measure ALT. Previous studies used GPR to measure ALT on relatively small scales from tens of metres (Arcone et al, 1998;Munroe et al, 2007) up to several 100 m (Hubbard et al, 2013;Gusmeroli et al, 2015). During our work in Barrow, Alaska, in August 2013, we collected a total of nearly 15 km of spatially continuous GPR ALT measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating active layer thickness and volumetric water content from ground penetrating radar measurements in Barrow, Alaska

Jafarov

Parsekian

Schaefer

et al. 2017

Geoscience Data Journal

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Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as an effective tool for estimating active layer thickness (ALT) and volumetric water content (VWC) within the active layer. In August 2013, we conducted a series of GPR and probing surveys using a 500 MHz antenna and metallic probe around Barrow, Alaska. We collected about 15 km of GPR data and 1.5 km of probing data. Here, we describe the GPR data processing workflow from raw GPR data to the estimated ALT and VWC. We include the corresponding uncertainties for each measured and estimated parameter. The estimated average GPR-derived ALT was 41 cm, with a standard deviation of 9 cm. The average probed ALT was 40 cm, with a standard deviation of 12 cm. The average GPR-derived VWC was 0.65, with a standard deviation of 0.14.

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“…In frozen soil, the penetration depth of electromagnetic pulses increases because energy losses due to electrical conductivity and molecular polarization decrease [ Hinkel et al ., ]. GPR has been widely used in polar and mountain regions for detecting shallow subsurface conditions in permafrost such as ALT [ Gusmeroli et al ., ; Wu et al ., ], permafrost distribution [ Stevens et al ., ; Wu et al ., ], massive ground ice [ De Pascale et al ., ], and pingo ice [ Yoshikawa et al ., ], wedge ice [ De Pascale et al ., ; Hinkel et al ., ; Munroe et al ., ], thawing depth beneath streams [ Brosten et al ., ; Brosten et al ., ], talik zones [ Moorman et al ., ; Stevens et al ., ], thermokarst [ De Pascale et al ., ], and active layer soil moisture [ Moorman et al ., ; Wollschläger et al ., ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial variability of active layer thickness detected by ground‐penetrating radar in the Qilian Mountains, Western China

et al. 2017

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The active layer plays a key role in geomorphic, hydrologic, and biogeochemical processes in permafrost regions. We conducted a systematic investigation of active layer thickness (ALT) in northeastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau by using ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) with 100 and 200 MHz antennas. We used mechanical probing, pit, and soil temperature profiles for evaluating ALT derived from GPR. The results showed that GPR is competent for detecting ALT, and the error was ±0.08 m at common midpoint co‐located sites. Considerable spatial variability of ALT owing to variation in elevation, peat thickness, and slope aspect was found. The mean ALT was 1.32 ± 0.29 m with a range from 0.81 to 2.1 m in Eboling Mountain. In Yeniu Gou, mean ALT was 2.72 ± 0.88 m and varied from 1.07 m on the north‐facing slope to 4.86 m around the area near the lower boundary of permafrost. ALT in peat decreased with increasing elevation at rates of −1.31 m/km (Eboling Mountain) and −2.1 m/km (Yeniu Gou), and in mineral soil in Yeniu Gou, the rate changed to −4.18 m/km. At the same elevation, ALT on the south‐facing slope was about 0.8 m thicker than that on the north‐facing slopes, while the difference was only 0.18 m in peat‐covered area. Within a 100 m2 area with a local elevation difference of 0.8 m, ALT varied from 0.68 m to 1.25 m. Both field monitoring and modeling studies on spatial ALT variations require rethinking of the current strategy and comprehensive design.

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Active Layer Stratigraphy and Organic Layer Thickness at a Thermokarst Site in Arctic Alaska Identified Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Cited by 21 publications

References 25 publications

Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) at Barrow, Alaska Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) at Barrow, Alaska Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

Estimating active layer thickness and volumetric water content from ground penetrating radar measurements in Barrow, Alaska

Spatial variability of active layer thickness detected by ground‐penetrating radar in the Qilian Mountains, Western China

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