Ground-penetrating radar for assessing winter roads

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. WA101-WA109 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Peter Annan ◽  
Nectaria Diamanti ◽  
J. David Redman ◽  
Steven R. Jackson

Since its inception, ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been a very effective method for examining ice structure. The vast majority of early GPR use was focused on answering questions related to glaciology and ice sheets. More recently, as more and more activity occurs in arctic areas, managing ice structures for a variety of applications has created new uses for GPR. For the past 30–40 years, GPR use for assessing transportation routes over lakes, rivers, and sea ice has been reported, but, only in the last decade has routine application occurred. We have focused on the application of GPR for winter road safety, explained the operational requirements, discussed the current state of practice, and illustrated modern GPR instrumentation. Based on widespread field observations, we have provided information on the ice-layer thickness variation and the variability on GPR ice bottom reflection. Combining extensive GPR and ice auger data provided insight into the variability of electromagnetic wave velocity in ice. Extensive observations showed that velocity varies with ice thickness, and velocities are often considerably lower than observed in “pure” ice.

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-362
Author(s):  
Pablo A. J. Brescia ◽  
Scott M. Bennett

This interview with Mexican writer David Toscana ponders the current state of both Mexican and Latin American narrative and serves as an insight into his own works. Toscana's statements about the recurring themes in his narrative (failure, loneliness, characters put to the test, and a tendency to play with different time frames, especially in his novels) help illustrate some of the characteristics of his fiction, which, according to various critics, is one of the most promising today in Mexico. Also noteworthy are his comments about the tendency of writers from his generation (born in the 1960s and later) to reject the legacy of the "boom" writers. Toscana's own interest is to revisit history and tradition by constructing a different voice and a different vision, a new way of seeing and hearing both the past and the present. Esta entrevista con el escritor mexicano David Toscana trata de explorar el estado actual de la narrativa mexicana y latinoamericana, améén de servir como una aproximacióón a la incipiente obra de este autor. Las respuestas de Toscana sobre los temas recurrentes en su literatura (el fracaso, la soledad, los personajes sometidos a pruebas y una tendencia a proponer diferentes marcos temporales, especialmente en sus novelas) subrayan algunos rasgos de su ficcióón, la cual, segúún la críítica especializada, es una de las máás prometedoras en el panorama mexicano de hoy. De especial interéés son los comentarios de Toscana sobre la tendencia de los escritores de su generacióón a rechazar el legado del "boom" latinoamericano. Toscana reacciona contra ese rechazo y propone una voz personal que vuelva a la historia y a la tradicióón y plantee una nueva manera de ver el pasado y el presente de Mééxico.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel L. Lieberman

Mutations in both acid-β-glucosidase (GCase) and saposin C lead to Gaucher disease, the most common lysosomal storage disorder. The past several years have seen an explosion of structural and biochemical information for these proteins, which have provided new insight into the biology and pathogenesis of Gaucher disease, as well as opportunities for new therapeutic directions. Nearly 20 crystal structures of GCase are now available, from different heterologous sources, complexed with different ligands in the active site, in different glycosylation states, as well as one that harbors a prevalent disease-causing mutation, N370S. For saposin C, two NMR and 3 crystal structures have been solved, each with its unique snapshot. This review focuses on the details of these structures to highlight salient common and disparate features that contribute to our current state of knowledge of this complex orphan disease.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Igel ◽  
T. Günther ◽  
M. Kuntzer

Abstract. Freshwater lenses, as important resource for drinking water, are sensitive to climate changes and sea level rise. To simulate this impact on the groundwater systems, hydraulic subsurface models have to be designed. Geophysical techniques can provide information for generating realistic models. The aim of our work is to show how ground-penetrating radar (GPR) investigations can contribute to such hydrological simulations. In the pilot area, Borkum island, GPR was used to map the shape of the groundwater table (GWT) and to characterise the aquifer. In total, 20 km of constant offset (CO) profiles were measured with centre frequencies of 80 and 200 MHz. Wave velocities were determined by common midpoint (CMP) measurements and vertical radar profiling (VRP) in a monitoring well. The 80 MHz CO data show a clear reflection at the groundwater table, whereas the reflection is weaker for the 200 MHz data. After correcting the GPR water tables for the capillary rise, they are in good accordance with the pressure heads of the observation wells in the area. In the centre of the island, the groundwater table is found up to 3.5 m above sea level, however it is lower towards the coastline and marshland. Some local depressions are observed in the region of dune valleys and around pumping stations of the local water supplier. GPR also reveals details within the sediments and highly-permeable aeolian sands can be distinguished from less-permeable marine sediments. Further, a silt loam layer below the water table could be mapped on a large area. The reflection characteristics indicates scattered erosion channels in this layer that cause it to be an aquitard with some leakage. GPR provides a high resolution map of the groundwater table and insight into the stratigraphy of the sediments and their hydraulic properties. This is valuable complementary information to the observation of sparsely distributed monitoring wells as input to hydraulic simulation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Duke ◽  
Nigel J Chang ◽  
Ian Moffat ◽  
Wayne Morris

<p>The Mun River valley is well known for its moat-bound mounded archaeological sites that are usually associated with Iron Age occupation (~500BC- AD500).  The investigation of these sites has provided a wealth of information on the changing social and environmental conditions during prehistory.  In recent years, research has identified a greater diversity of site morphologies in the region, many of which, importantly, do not appear to have moats surrounding them.  This paper seeks to investigate whether the apparently ‘non-moated’ mound site of Non Klang (Nong Hua Raet village) was actually moated in the past, and if such, now in-filled features can be investigated through non-destructive Ground Penetrating Radar methodology.  Additionally, while large external moats can be observed in the modern day topography at sites such as Ban Non Wat, excavation has demonstrated that further, invisible, water management features exist beneath the surface within the current mound boundary of the site.  These are probably Iron Age precursors to the later more extensive and still visible moats.  This paper seeks to answer several fundamental questions: What application can GPR have at mounded sites in Southeast Asia?  Do invisible moats exist?  How will this affect our understanding of the broader prehistoric landscape in the Upper Mun River Valley?  </p>


Author(s):  
Mariusz Drzewiecki ◽  
Maciej Kurcz ◽  
Joanna Ciesielska ◽  
Tomasz Michalik ◽  
Ewa Czyżewska-Zalewska ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent research at Soba focuses on the tangible and intangible heritage of the medieval capital of Alwa kingdom, whose remains cover approximately 275 ha. About 222 ha of this area has been built up or transformed into agricultural land in the past 30 years. An ethnographic survey was also carried out in the built-up area to understand how the residents engage with the archaeological heritage and material remains. The undeveloped area of the capital (53 ha) was the focus of interdisciplinary archaeological fieldwork conducted in 2019 and 2020. A large-scale geophysical survey, using a fluxgate gradiometer and ground-penetrating radar, was initiated in the undeveloped area, and excavation trenches were opened to verify distinctive magnetic anomalies. Along with the ethnographic and geophysical data, the study of the pottery, burials, and stratigraphic sequence (supplemented with radiocarbon dates) provides new insights into the spatial organization of the medieval capital.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128
Author(s):  
Anatolii Chernov ◽  
Dariusz Dziubacki ◽  
Martina Cogoni ◽  
Alexandru Bạ̌descu

Abstract. The article presents results of a ground penetrating radar (GPR) investigation carried out in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kłodzko, Poland, dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. Due to the 20th century wars, the current state of knowledge about the history of the church is still poor. Under the floor of the Catholic temple, unknown structures might exist. To verify the presence of underground structures such as crypts and tombs, a GPR survey was carried out in chapels and aisles with 500 and 800 MHz GPR shielded antennas. Numerous anomalies were detected. It was concluded that those under the chapels were caused by the presence of crypts beneath the floor.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.M. Moore ◽  
C.M. Ryder

Until recently the only way to investigate tree root architecture and distribution involved the physical removal of soil. However, in the past decade, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), which has been used in many other industries for about 30 years, has been used to study tree roots. GPR is relatively new to Australia and the aim of this research was to assess its spatial accuracy and ability to detect tree roots. Three experiments were conducted using a 900 MHz GPR device (Tree Radar®). The first experiment tested the ability of GPR to detect roots of sizes 10 mm, 20 mm, and 40 mm in diameter at depths of 200 mm, 400 mm, and 800 mm, while the second experiment tested its capacity to resolve two roots placed close together. Roots of 20–30 mm in diameter were placed in pairs at 20 mm, 40 mm, and 80 mm apart at depths of 200 mm, 400 mm, and 800 mm. The final experiment used GPR to analyze the in situ root system of a small Pistacia chinensis (Chinese pistachio) after which the root system was excavated using an AirSpade® and counts of root numbers were undertaken and compared with the predicted results. GPR detected and discriminated tree roots accurately at 200 mm depth, but as the depth increased to 400 mm and then to 800 mm, the levels of error increased, probably due to the choice of antenna available for the experiments, leading to the presence of phantom roots in some results and the misdetection of true roots in others. Confounding of the signal with unexpected interference or inadequate signal processing was most likely the cause. In the final experiment, GPR missed many small roots in the trenches close to the tree and appeared to detect multiple roots as one. In the outer trenches, GPR predicted 52 roots in total but excavation revealed only one in these disturbed urban soils.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio R. Dillenburg ◽  
Patrick Hesp ◽  
Graziela Miot Da Silva ◽  
Robert Keane ◽  
André O. Sawakuchi ◽  
...  

This study examines the southeastern end of the Younghusband Peninsula in South Australia at a location called The Granites in order to gain a better understanding of the processes of formation of the foredune ridge system, and to investigate the drivers that controlled its progradational development during the Holocene. Our findings are based on amorphological analysis, a ground penetrating radar survey, and 14C and OSL dating. The Younghusband Peninsula at The Granites was formed by an initial aggradational phase resulting in a single complex foredune ridge, and which ended around 4.3 ka, and by a regressive (progradational) barrier phase (750 m wide) that developed in the last 4.3 ka, under very low rates of progradation (0.38 to 0.09 m/yr). The last part of this phase shows significant foredune ridge building in the last 1000 years or so. Barrier progradation via foredune ridge development is likely an effect driven by lowwave energy that favored conditions for coastal stability and foredune formation. Paleontological and GPR data indicate a maximum sea-level of +1.23 to +1.5 m, respectively, during initial barrier development. The foredune ridge plain of the barrier experienced at least three phases of significant aeolian activitywith ages centered at around 3.9, 3.4 and 3.0 ka suggesting their occurrence at 500 to 400-year events. Computer modelling indicates that sediments for the progradational phase of the barrier were provided by the forced regression produced by a sea-level fall over the past 4.3 ka. The large foredune complex formed during the last phase of progradation could be the result of both the very low progradation rate of 0.09 m/yr, and periods of disturbance possibly related to enhanced storm activity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (249) ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. LÓPEZ-MORENO ◽  
E. ALONSO-GONZÁLEZ ◽  
O. MONSERRAT ◽  
L. M. DEL RÍO ◽  
J. OTERO ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThis work combines very detailed measurements from terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), ground-based interferometry radar (GB-SAR) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to diagnose current conditions and to analyse the recent evolution of the Monte Perdido Glacier in the Spanish Pyrenees from 2011 to 2017. Thus, this is currently one of the best monitored small glacier (<0.5 km2) worldwide. The evolution of the glacier surface was surveyed with a TLS evidencing an important decline of 6.1 ± 0.3 m on average, with ice losses mainly concentrated over 3 years (2012, 2015 and 2017). Ice loss is unevenly distributed throughout the study period, with 10–15 m thinning in some areas while unchanged areas in others. GB-SAR revealed that areas with higher ice losses are those that are currently with no or very low ice motion. In contrast, sectors located beneath the areas with less ice loss are those that still exhibit noticeable ice movement (average 2–4.5 cm d─1 in summer, and annual movement of 9.98 ma─1 from ablation stakes data). GPR informed that ice thickness was generally <30 m, though locally 30–50 m. Glacier thinning is still accelerating and will lead to extinction of the glacier over the next 50 years.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document