A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake
All radar power interpretations require a correction for attenuative losses. Moreover, radar attenuation is a proxy for ice-column properties, such as temperature and chemistry. Prior studies use either paired thermodynamic and conductivity models or the radar data themselves to calculate attenuatio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000324/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157270165192704 |
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| author | Benjamin H. Hills Knut Christianson Nicholas Holschuh |
| author_facet | Benjamin H. Hills Knut Christianson Nicholas Holschuh |
| author_sort | Benjamin H. Hills |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | All radar power interpretations require a correction for attenuative losses. Moreover, radar attenuation is a proxy for ice-column properties, such as temperature and chemistry. Prior studies use either paired thermodynamic and conductivity models or the radar data themselves to calculate attenuation, but there is no standard method to do so; and, before now, there has been no robust methodological comparison. Here, we develop a framework meant to guide the implementation of empirical attenuation methods based on survey design and regional glaciological conditions. We divide the methods into the three main groups: (1) those that infer attenuation from a single reflector across many traces; (2) those that infer attenuation from multiple reflectors within one trace; and (3) those that infer attenuation by contrasting the measured power from primary and secondary reflections. To assess our framework, we introduce a new ground-based radar survey from South Pole Lake, comparing selected empirical methods to the expected attenuation from a temperature- and chemistry-dependent Arrhenius model. Based on the small surveyed area, lack of a sufficient calibration surface and low reflector relief, the attenuation methods that use multiple reflectors are most suitable at South Pole Lake. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1cd451bd11024d56b02fce9fece33ef9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:27Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1cd451bd11024d56b02fce9fece33ef92023-03-09T12:27:39ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442020-04-016117618710.1017/aog.2020.32A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole LakeBenjamin H. Hills0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4490-7416Knut Christianson1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5116-3032Nicholas Holschuh2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-5085Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Department of Geology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, USAAll radar power interpretations require a correction for attenuative losses. Moreover, radar attenuation is a proxy for ice-column properties, such as temperature and chemistry. Prior studies use either paired thermodynamic and conductivity models or the radar data themselves to calculate attenuation, but there is no standard method to do so; and, before now, there has been no robust methodological comparison. Here, we develop a framework meant to guide the implementation of empirical attenuation methods based on survey design and regional glaciological conditions. We divide the methods into the three main groups: (1) those that infer attenuation from a single reflector across many traces; (2) those that infer attenuation from multiple reflectors within one trace; and (3) those that infer attenuation by contrasting the measured power from primary and secondary reflections. To assess our framework, we introduce a new ground-based radar survey from South Pole Lake, comparing selected empirical methods to the expected attenuation from a temperature- and chemistry-dependent Arrhenius model. Based on the small surveyed area, lack of a sufficient calibration surface and low reflector relief, the attenuation methods that use multiple reflectors are most suitable at South Pole Lake.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000324/type/journal_articleAntarctic glaciologyglacier geophysicsice temperatureradio-echo soundingsubglacial lakes |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin H. Hills Knut Christianson Nicholas Holschuh A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake Annals of Glaciology Antarctic glaciology glacier geophysics ice temperature radio-echo sounding subglacial lakes |
| title | A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake |
| title_full | A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake |
| title_fullStr | A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake |
| title_full_unstemmed | A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake |
| title_short | A framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice-penetrating radar data at South Pole Lake |
| title_sort | framework for attenuation method selection evaluated with ice penetrating radar data at south pole lake |
| topic | Antarctic glaciology glacier geophysics ice temperature radio-echo sounding subglacial lakes |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000324/type/journal_article |
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