ALBERT

Description: Experiments on radio-echo sounding of mountain glaciers have been done on Lednik Marukh (west Caucasus), Lednik Bezingy and Lednik Dzhankuat (central Caucasus), Lednik Gergety (east Caucasus), and Lednik IGAN (Polar Urals) in 1967-71 as a part of the I.H.D. programme. Radio altimeters operating at a frequency of 440 MHz with a pulse duration 0.5 μ5 and with an assumed radio-echo system performance of 130 dB were used. The apparatus was operated from the ice surface (using sledge or vehicle) and partly from a helicopter. Some measurements have been made while the apparatus was being moved continuously along longitudal and transverse profiles of the glacier. Some of the measurements have been made at separate points on the glacier. The methods of measurement and interpretation have been worked out. Data on ice thickness, subglacial topography, and internal structure of some mountain glaciers have been obtained and compared with data got using other geophysical methods and thermal drilling. There is agreement between the results.

Description: Experiments on radio-echo sounding of mountain glaciers have been done on Lednik Marukh (west Caucasus), Lednik Bezingy and Lednik Dzhankuat (central Caucasus), Lednik Gergety (east Caucasus), and Lednik IGAN (Polar Urals) in 1967-71 as a part of the I.H.D. programme. Radio altimeters operating at a frequency of 440 MHz with a pulse duration 0.5 μ5 and with an assumed radio-echo system performance of 130 dB were used. The apparatus was operated from the ice surface (using sledge or vehicle) and partly from a helicopter. Some measurements have been made while the apparatus was being moved continuously along longitudal and transverse profiles of the glacier. Some of the measurements have been made at separate points on the glacier. The methods of measurement and interpretation have been worked out. Data on ice thickness, subglacial topography, and internal structure of some mountain glaciers have been obtained and compared with data got using other geophysical methods and thermal drilling. There is agreement between the results.

Description: The inverse problem of radio-echo sounding consists in the reconstruction of subglacial relief from the known radio-echo profile, and the path, and speed of the aircraft. The present work shows that in the geometrical optical approach the solution of the inverse problem for a homogeneous, two-dimensional object (valley glacier) exists, and there is a unique solution. An algorithm for interpretation of the experimental data is suggested. It may be considered as the generalization of Harrison’s transformations for any surfaces. paths, and speed.The direct problem of radio-echo sounding consists in the reconstruction of radio-echo profile from the known surface and subsurface relief, path, and aircraft speed. The analysis of traces in the standard radio-echo sounding mode of operation reveals the possibility of introducing a three-index trace classification {K, sign S’(o), K+} where K is the number of real roots characteristic of the equations, K+ the number of positive roots, and S’(o) the position derivative, the argument being equal to zero. The form {o, — o} is optimal for the precision of the calculation of the reflected surface coordinates, as well as for the simplicity of the interpreted picture. By a special choice of the altitude of flight, any form of any surface can be brought to {o, —o}. The decrease in beam width is equivalent to the diminution of roots of the characteristic equations. For a pencil beam the trace degenerates into a point.The attenuation of the reflected signal depends on the glacier geometry, the dielectric parameters of the medium, the altitude and the course of the aircraft, as well as statistical characteristics of the mutual orientation of the interfaces and aerials. For the description of the energetics of radio-echo sounding, equivalent reflecting surfaces are suggested. These surfaces correspond to the Harrison’s equivalent reflecting surface. Exact formulae for the power of coherent and incoherent components of the reflected signal are obtained. Components of the full attenuation such as absorption, depolarization, and spherical divergence, are investigated with respect to refraction and focusing effects.

Description: Temperate mountain glaciers have specific peculiarities which make the interpretation of radio-echo sounding data much more difficult than for polar ice sheets. On the A or Z indicators one can observe a plurality of pulses differing in shape, amplitude, and range. Often a gap is observed on the film. The problem is to select the pulses from the bed or internal reflecting horizon and to reconstruct the subglacial relief or internal interface.During preliminary processing, the radio-coordinates of all marks on a type A radiogram are written into a table. Then non-informative marks are eliminated and informative marks are situated on a continuous line or trace.We put into practice three methods of interpretation: (1) an envelope method, (2) Harrison’s transformation method, (3) approximation of segments of a trace by straight lines. Harrison’s transformation method is the most general one; the others are useful for the presentation of results in a graphical form. The suggested methods are used for the interpretation of the data from a transverse profile of the valley glacier Lednik Bezengiy, Caucasus, 1970-71. Radar RW-10 with a carrier frequency of 440 MHz and overall receiver sensitivity relative to the transmitter pulse power 130 dB was used. It was revealed that the transparency of the glacier changes from year to year. The maximum ice thickness measured was 33°±15 m. Some extended interfaces in the body of the glacier were discovered. One of them, 80 m deep, coincides with seismic contrast interface and with the 0° C isotherm. Radio-echo sounding data are in agreement with gravity measurements on the same profile.

Description: The inverse problem of radio-echo sounding consists in the reconstruction of subglacial relief from the known radio-echo profile, and the path, and speed of the aircraft. The present work shows that in the geometrical optical approach the solution of the inverse problem for a homogeneous, two-dimensional object (valley glacier) exists, and there is a unique solution. An algorithm for interpretation of the experimental data is suggested. It may be considered as the generalization of Harrison’s transformations for any surfaces. paths, and speed. The direct problem of radio-echo sounding consists in the reconstruction of radio-echo profile from the known surface and subsurface relief, path, and aircraft speed. The analysis of traces in the standard radio-echo sounding mode of operation reveals the possibility of introducing a three-index trace classification {K, sign S’(o), K+} where K is the number of real roots characteristic of the equations, K+ the number of positive roots, and S’(o) the position derivative, the argument being equal to zero. The form {o, — o} is optimal for the precision of the calculation of the reflected surface coordinates, as well as for the simplicity of the interpreted picture. By a special choice of the altitude of flight, any form of any surface can be brought to {o, —o}. The decrease in beam width is equivalent to the diminution of roots of the characteristic equations. For a pencil beam the trace degenerates into a point. The attenuation of the reflected signal depends on the glacier geometry, the dielectric parameters of the medium, the altitude and the course of the aircraft, as well as statistical characteristics of the mutual orientation of the interfaces and aerials. For the description of the energetics of radio-echo sounding, equivalent reflecting surfaces are suggested. These surfaces correspond to the Harrison’s equivalent reflecting surface. Exact formulae for the power of coherent and incoherent components of the reflected signal are obtained. Components of the full attenuation such as absorption, depolarization, and spherical divergence, are investigated with respect to refraction and focusing effects.

Description: Temperate mountain glaciers have specific peculiarities which make the interpretation of radio-echo sounding data much more difficult than for polar ice sheets. On the A or Z indicators one can observe a plurality of pulses differing in shape, amplitude, and range. Often a gap is observed on the film. The problem is to select the pulses from the bed or internal reflecting horizon and to reconstruct the subglacial relief or internal interface. During preliminary processing, the radio-coordinates of all marks on a type A radiogram are written into a table. Then non-informative marks are eliminated and informative marks are situated on a continuous line or trace. We put into practice three methods of interpretation: (1) an envelope method, (2) Harrison’s transformation method, (3) approximation of segments of a trace by straight lines. Harrison’s transformation method is the most general one; the others are useful for the presentation of results in a graphical form. The suggested methods are used for the interpretation of the data from a transverse profile of the valley glacier Lednik Bezengiy, Caucasus, 1970-71. Radar RW-10 with a carrier frequency of 440 MHz and overall receiver sensitivity relative to the transmitter pulse power 130 dB was used. It was revealed that the transparency of the glacier changes from year to year. The maximum ice thickness measured was 33°±15 m. Some extended interfaces in the body of the glacier were discovered. One of them, 80 m deep, coincides with seismic contrast interface and with the 0° C isotherm. Radio-echo sounding data are in agreement with gravity measurements on the same profile.