Field measurements of dielectric absorption in Antarctic ice and snow at very high frequencies

Field measurements are presented of dielectric absorption in Antarctic snow and ice at frequencies of a few hundred megahertz. They are compared with measurements by other authors at very high frequencies. The dielectric absorption in ice at these frequencies is accounted for in terms of absorption bands both at radio frequencies and in the infrared. Bands at radio frequencies are caused by a relaxation mechanism which depends upon the temperature and the impurity content of the ice. These two factors are therefore included in an account of the dielectric absorption in ice at very high frequencies.