Earth’s Cryosphere, 2017, Vol. XXI, No. 6, p. 112-115

A POSSIBILITY FOR RECORDING GEOPHYSICAL ANOMALIES FROM AQUIFERS AND GROUNDWATER IN PERMAFROST

V.N. Efremov

Melnikov Permafrost Institute, SB RAS, 36, Merzlotnaya str., Yakutsk, 677010, Russia; vne@mpi.ysn.ru

A new parameter, apparent electromagnetic resistivity (EMR), is proposed for estimating the electrical properties of permafrost. It is a ratio of apparent resistivity to relative dielectric permittivity measured by radioimpedance or radiomagnetotelluric soundings in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1000 kHz radiated by distant radio stations. The parameter records integrate variations in both electrical resistivity and dielectric permittivity and thus ensures more reliable detection of responses from unfrozen moist or water-saturated zones, aquifers, and groundwaters in permafrost than apparent resistivity. The use of the new parameter is tested in numerical and field experiments. The results show that changes in apparent electromagnetic resistivity caused by the presence of unfrozen water-bearing zones are an order of magnitude stronger than those of apparent resistivity.

Реrmafrost, aquifers, dielectric permittivity, apparent electromagnetic resistivity