Abstract
AbstractThe environments underneath ice sheets are of high scientific interest. Wireless sensors offer the prospect of sustained, distributed remote sensing in the subglacial environment. Typically, wireless sensor networks use radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic communications, but these are highly attenuated in wet environments. In such environments, acoustic communications may be more power-efficient. Here we review the literature on acoustic and RF attenuation through ice and other relevant media, and present the results of new experiments on acoustic attenuation in glacial ice. Link budgets for communications from a range of subglacial environments show that acoustic communications are a viable strategy for transmission through water and ice where RF is too highly attenuated to be detected. Acoustic communication at 30 kHz is predicted to be possible through 1 km of glacial ice, using a 1 W transmitter. Such a strategy may be appropriate for shallow ice-stream environments around the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheet margins.
Highlights
The Earth’s ice sheets are of strong scientific interest (Solomon and others, 2007)
We evaluate the potential for acoustic communications in each of these environments in turn, commencing with an evaluation of the general requirements for collecting data beneath the ice sheet and communicating them to the surface
Acoustic communications may be a useful technique for through-ice communication in situations where there is too much water present to permit effective RF communications
Summary
The Earth’s ice sheets are of strong scientific interest (Solomon and others, 2007). Improved remote monitoring underneath ice sheets would be useful for a number of reasons. Subglacial lakes and sub-ice-stream sediments house significant populations of microorganisms which are adapted to the lack of sunlight, low temperature and sparsity of nutrients/organic carbon (Priscu and others, 1999; Lanoil and others, 2009) These environments are a unique component of the Earth’s biosphere, and may play a key role in the Earth’s biogeochemical cycles (Siegert and others, 2001; Wadham and others, 2010). Once the sensor is located in a wet environment (e.g. subglacial lake, water-saturated sediments, conduits or temperate ice), high radio attenuation in water limits communication to ranges of a few metres ( the use of sonar for maritime communications). Many environments of interest (e.g subglacial lakes and ice streams) require communication through 10– 100 m of water or wet sediments. We evaluate the potential for acoustic communications in each of these environments in turn, commencing with an evaluation of the general requirements for collecting data beneath the ice sheet and communicating them to the surface
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