Dry-wet bedrock interface detection by radio echo sounding measurements

In this paper a method to distinguish a wet or
dry bedrock-ice interface is proposed. It is based on the
analysis of Radio Echo Sounding (RES) measurements, a
widely employed method for determining bedrock
topography in Antarctica. In particular, the RES system has
played an important role in subglacial lake exploration and
hydrogeological studies at the bedrock-ice interface.
Recently, bedrock characterization has been improved
through the analysis of the power of radar echoes. Signal
power depends on bedrock reflectivity and its specific
physical condition. In this paper a linear model describing
the loss term (internal ice absorption) is proposed. This
model, together with other known quantities, contributes
towards an assessment of power variation of bedrock
reflectivity in order to determinate wet and dry bedrock
interfaces in the Dome C region in Antarctica.

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