Ground Penetrating Radar Application to Studies of the Aeolian Deposits
2013
Juris Vībāns, Jānis Karušs

This research is focused on ground penetrating radar application possibilities in an aeolean deposit research. The goal of the research was to obtain ground penetrating radar signals in aeolian deposits using antenna systems that cover wide range of frequencies and also to correlatethe the obtained signals with a variation of deposit physical properties. The ground penetrating radar profiling was carried out in inland dunes that are located in Valka region using antenna systems that cover a wide range of frequencies (75–2000 MHz). In this paper the moisture analysis and grain size analysis results of the deposit samples are included. The ground penetrating radar signal propagation speed in the geological section was calculated. Dielectric permittivity values of the deposit samples were calculated using laboratory analysis results and empirical formulas. After analysing the calculated dielectric permittivity values, it was concluded that the obtained values are consistent with dielectric permittivity values of aeolian deposits with the similar moisture content that are published in scientific literature. In this research the obtained results show that it is possible to acquire informative signals in aeolian deposits with all antenna systems that were used. The highest quality results were acquired using 300 MHz antenna system, hence in future aeolian deposit research it is advisable to use this antenna system. It was concluded that it is possible to detect moisture content variations in the geological section using a ground penetrating radar. Variations of particle grain size distribution in the geological section were not detected by the ground penetrating radar, which indicates that the particle grain size distribution has a relatively small effect on aeolian deposit electromagnetic properties. The analysis of the laboratory results and calculations show that deposits of the research area contain free water and bound water molecules. When calculations of electromagnetic wave propagation speed in deposit layers with low moisture content are carried out, it is important to take into account that electromagnetic properties of bound water differ from those of free water.


Keywords
ground penetrating radar,applied geophysics, inland Aeolian deposits, sand electromagnetic properties
DOI
10.7250/msac.2013.016

Vībāns, J., Karušs, J. Ground Penetrating Radar Application to Studies of the Aeolian Deposits. Materials Sciences and Applied Chemistry. Vol.29, 2013, pp.29-34. ISSN 1407-7353. e-ISSN 2255-8713. Available from: doi:10.7250/msac.2013.016

Publication language
Latvian (lv)
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