13. Geophysics in the Study of Permafrost

Abstract

PreviousNext No AccessGeotechnical and Environmental Geophysics: Volume I, Review and Tutorial13. Geophysics in the Study of PermafrostAuthors: W. J. ScottP. V. SellmannJ. A. HunterW. J. ScottCentre for Cold Oceans Resources Engineering, , Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, CACold Regions Research Laboratory, , U.S. Army, Hanover, New Hampshire, USGeological Survery of Canada, Otttawa, Ontario, CASearch for more papers by this author, P. V. SellmannCentre for Cold Oceans Resources Engineering, , Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, CACold Regions Research Laboratory, , U.S. Army, Hanover, New Hampshire, USGeological Survery of Canada, Otttawa, Ontario, CASearch for more papers by this author, and J. A. HunterCentre for Cold Oceans Resources Engineering, , Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, CACold Regions Research Laboratory, , U.S. Army, Hanover, New Hampshire, USGeological Survery of Canada, Otttawa, Ontario, CASearch for more papers by this authorhttps://doi.org/10.1190/1.9781560802785.ch13 SectionsAboutPDF/ePub ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Abstract This review of permafrost geophysical techniques emphasizes methods which can provide information on permafrost properties or distribution. The review includes investigations made in the laboratory, on land, and offshore, based on surface, borehole, and airborne observations. The emphasis is on North American literature, with some references to Soviet or other work where publications are easily accessible or where translations are available. The review classifies methods according to whether the measurement is electrical, electromagnetic, seismic, or other, and then examines the utility of each method in mapping the horizontal and vertical distribution of permafrost, and in determining the amount of ground ice present in the material. The application of geophysics to the study of permafrost depends on changes in the physical properties of earth materials which occur with freezing of incorporated water and formation of varying amounts of ground ice. The relevant electrical geophysical parameters are resistivity (real or complex), relative permittivity, and loss tangent. Seismic and acoustic parameters are the velocities of shear and compressional waves. In general, resistivity and velocity increase and relative permittivity and loss tangent decrease as temperature decreases through 0° C. Interpretation of geophysical measurements involves first deducing the distribution of geophysical properties indicated by the observations, then relating the interpreted distribution to the physical parameters of the subsurface, and finally relating the physical situation to the geology and geocryology. The utility of permafrost geophysics depends on selection of a technique which is appropriate for the problem to be solved. It must be recognized that geophysics will not always contribute to the solution of a geotechnical problem. In many cases, however, the intelligent application of geophysics can materially assist the investigation. Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1190/1.9781560802785.ch13FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited BySpectral induced polarization imaging to investigate an ice-rich mountain permafrost site in Switzerland20 May 2022 | The Cryosphere, Vol. 16, No. 5Groundwater Flow Through Continuous Permafrost Along Geological Boundary Revealed by Electrical Resistivity Tomography28 July 2021 | Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 48, No. 14Internal structure and palsa development at Orravatnsrústir Palsa Site (Central Iceland), investigated by means of integrated resistivity and ground‐penetrating radar methods29 March 2021 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 32, No. 3DETERMINATION OF THE STABILITY LOSING OF A GAS WELL CASING BY ACOUSTIC NOISEInterexpo GEO-Siberia, Vol. 2, No. 3Temperature distribution in a permafrost-affected rock ridge from conductivity and induced polarization tomography17 December 2020 | Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 225, No. 2Petrophysical Joint Inversion Applied to Alpine Permafrost Field Sites to Image Subsurface Ice, Water, Air, and Rock Contents7 April 2020 | Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol. 8Conductive layer detection in periglacial Antarctic environment with time-domain electromagneticsMichele T. 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Godfrey, and Peter Cottrell1 August 2019Analyse multi-méthodes de la déstabilisation d’un pylône de remontée mécanique implanté sur un glacier rocheux des Alpes françaisesGéomorphologie : relief, processus, environnement, Vol. 25, No. 1Magnetometry and ground penetrating radar in application to mapping of polygonal wedge ice of yedoma complex26 December 2018 | Arctic and Antarctic Research, Vol. 64, No. 4Three-Dimensional Electrical Conductivity and Induced Polarization Tomography of a Rock Glacier22 November 2018 | Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Vol. 123, No. 11Seismic survey on an open pingo system in Adventdalen Valley, Spitsbergen, Svalbard1 July 2017 | Near Surface Geophysics, Vol. 16, No. 1Electrical resistance profiles of permafrost-affected soils in the north of Western Siberia according to their vertical electrical sounding20 September 2017 | Eurasian Soil Science, Vol. 50, No. 9Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment3 February 2017 | Water Resources Research, Vol. 53, No. 2Vertical electric resistivity sounding of natural and anthropogenically affected cryosols of Fildes Peninsula, Western Antarctica1 January 2017 | Czech Polar Reports, Vol. 7, No. 2Resolution capacity of geophysical monitoring regarding permafrost degradation induced by hydrological processes14 December 2017 | The Cryosphere, Vol. 11, No. 6Formation Chronology of Arsain Pingo, Darhad Basin, Northern Mongolia8 December 2015 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 27, No. 3Effect of electrode shape on grounding resistances — Part 2: Experimental results and cryospheric monitoringSoňa Tomaškovičová, Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen, Anders V. Christiansen, Inooraq Brandt, Torleif Dahlin, and Bo Elberling12 January 2016 | GEOPHYSICS, Vol. 81, No. 1Identifying hydrologic flowpaths on arctic hillslopes using electrical resistivity and self potentialEmily B. Voytek, Caitlin R. Rushlow, Sarah E. Godsey, and Kamini Singha29 January 2016 | GEOPHYSICS, Vol. 81, No. 1Coastal dynamics and submarine permafrost in shallow water of the central Laptev Sea, East Siberia12 July 2016 | The Cryosphere, Vol. 10, No. 4Exploring subsurface flowpath networks on Arctic hillslopesEmily Voytek, Caitlin Rushlow, Sarah Godsey, and Kamini Singha*19 August 2015Determination of warm, sensitive permafrost areas in near-vertical rockwalls and evaluation of distributed models by electrical resistivity tomography9 May 2015 | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, Vol. 120, No. 5Field Test of Detection and Characterisation of Subsurface Ice using Broadband Spectral-Induced Polarisation17 February 2015 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 26, No. 1Coastal dynamics and submarine permafrost in shallow water of the central Laptev Sea, East Siberia17 July 2015 | The Cryosphere Discussions, Vol. 9, No. 4The Influence of Buildings on Urban Gravity SurveysDewu Yu21 August 2014 | Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, Vol. 19, No. 3Frozen ground dynamics resolved by multi‐year and year‐round electrical resistivity monitoring at three alpine sites in the Swiss Alps1 September 2013 | Near Surface Geophysics, Vol. 12, No. 1New Concepts in Geophysical Surveying and Data Interpretation for Permafrost Terrain25 April 2013 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 24, No. 2A spatial and temporal analysis of different periglacial materials by using geoelectrical, seismic and borehole temperature data at Murtèl–Corvatsch, Upper Engadin, Swiss Alps16 December 2013 | Geographica Helvetica, Vol. 68, No. 4Permafrost mapping using quasi-3D resistivity imaging, Murtèl, Swiss Alps1 June 2011 | Near Surface Geophysics, Vol. 10, No. 2P-wave velocity changes in freezing hard low-porosity rocks: a laboratory-based time-average model21 February 2012 | The Cryosphere Discussions, Vol. 6, No. 1P-wave velocity changes in freezing hard low-porosity rocks: a laboratory-based time-average model22 October 2012 | The Cryosphere, Vol. 6, No. 5Automated Time-lapse ERT for Improved Process Analysis and Monitoring of Frozen Ground25 October 2011 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 22, No. 4ReferencesApplicability of time-lapse refraction seismic tomography for the detection of ground ice degradation27 January 2010 | The Cryosphere Discussions, Vol. 4, No. 1Time-lapse refraction seismic tomography for the detection of ground ice degradation16 July 2010 | The Cryosphere, Vol. 4, No. 3Structure and composition of a tidewater glacier push moraine, Svalbard, revealed by DC resistivity profilingBoreas, Vol. 38, No. 1Advances in geophysical methods for permafrost investigations1 January 2008 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 19, No. 2Monitoring mountain permafrost evolution using electrical resistivity tomography: A 7-year study of seasonal, annual, and long-term variations at Schilthorn, Swiss Alps26 January 2008 | Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 113, No. F1Application of ground-penetrating radar imagery for three-dimensional visualisation of near-surface structures in ice-rich permafrost, Barrow, Alaska11 September 2007 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 18, No. 4Geophysical identification of permafrost in Livingston Island, maritime Antarctica21 June 2007 | Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 112, No. F2Pre-collapse identification of sinkholes in unconsolidated media at Dead Sea area by ‘nanoseismic monitoring’ (graphical jackknife location of weak sources by few, low-SNR records)Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 167, No. 3Resistivity structures in alas areas in Central Yakutia, Siberia, and the interpretation of permafrost history1 January 2006 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 17, No. 2Permafrost creep within a recently deglaciated glacier forefield: Muragl, Swiss Alps1 January 2006 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 17, No. 1Comparison of geophysical investigations for detection of massive ground ice (pingo ice)Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 111, No. E6Planetary exploration using a small electromagnetic sensorIEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Vol. 43, No. 7Prospecting for in situ resources on the Moon and Mars using wheel-based sensorsMeasuring water content of Martian soil simulants using planar four-probesInversion and interpretation of two-dimensional geoelectrical measurements for detecting permafrost in mountainous regions8 December 2003 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 14, No. 4Using DC resistivity tomography to detect and characterize mountain permafrost18 July 2003 | Geophysical Prospecting, Vol. 51, No. 4Mountain permafrost distribution in Dovrefjell and Jotunheimen, southern Norway, based on BTS and DC resistivity tomography data5 November 2010 | Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, Vol. 56, No. 2Detection of subsurface permafrost features with ground-penetrating radar, Barrow, Alaska1 January 2001 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 12, No. 2Applicability of frequency-domain and time-domain electromagnetic methods for mountain permafrost studies2 April 2001 | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 12, No. 1Electromagnetic and geological transect across permafrost terrain, Mackenzie River delta, CanadaGEOPHYSICS, Vol. 63, No. 6Gravimetrical investigation of ice-rich permafrost within the rock glacier Murtèl-Corvatsch (upper Engadin, swiss alps)Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 5, No. 1 Geotechnical and Environmental Geophysics: Volume I, Review and TutorialISBN (print):978-1-56080-000-2Copyright: 1990 Pages: 398 publication data© 1990 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisherPublisher:Society of Exploration Geophysicists HistoryPublished in print: 01 Jan 1990 CITATION INFORMATION W. J. Scott, P. V. Sellmann, and J. A. Hunter, (1990), "13. Geophysics in the Study of Permafrost," Investigations in Geophysics : 355-384. https://doi.org/10.1190/1.9781560802785.ch13 Plain-Language Summary PDF DownloadLoading ...