Time-lapse capacitive resistivity imaging: a new technology concept for the monitoring of permafrost

Kuras, Oliver; Krautblatter, Michael; Murton, Julian; Haslam, Ed; Wilkinson, Paul; Lister, Bob; Meldrum, Phil. 2012 Time-lapse capacitive resistivity imaging: a new technology concept for the monitoring of permafrost. [Poster] In: The Geophysics of the Cryosphere and Glacial Products, London, UK, 9-10 Feb 2012. British Geological Survey. (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

The British Geological Survey, in partnership with the Universities of Sussex and Bonn, is investigating and seeking to prove a new technology concept for the non-invasive volumetric imaging and routine temporal monitoring of the thermal state of permafrost (Figure 1), a key indicator of global climate change. Capacitive Resistivity Imaging (CRI), a technique based upon a low-frequency, capacitively-coupled measurement approach (Kuras et al., 2006) is applied in order to emulate Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) methodology, but without the need for galvanic contact on frozen soils or rocks. Recent work has shown that temperature-calibrated ERT using galvanic sensors (Figure 2) is capable of imaging recession and re-advance of rock permafrost in response to the ambient temperature regime. However, the use of galvanic sensors can lead to significant practical limitations on field measurements due to high levels of and large variations in contact resistances between sensors and the host material as it freezes and thaws Figure 3). The capacitive technology developed here overcomes this problem and provides a more robust means of making high-quality resistance measurements with permanently installed sensors over time. Reducing the uncertainty associated with uncontrolled noise from galvanic sensors increases the value of time-lapse ERT datasets in the context of monitoring permafrost.

Item Type:	Publication - Conference Item (Poster)
Programmes:	BGS Programmes 2010 > Geoscience Technologies
Additional Keywords:	permafrost, geophysics, imaging, monitoring
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	06 Jun 2013 12:54 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502143

Item Type:

Publication - Conference Item (Poster)

Programmes:

BGS Programmes 2010 > Geoscience Technologies

Additional Keywords:

permafrost, geophysics, imaging, monitoring

NORA Subject Terms:

Earth Sciences

Date made live:

06 Jun 2013 12:54 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502143