Utilizing GPR to identify contrasting soil layers
Increasingly, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is being used in agronomic, archaeological, engineering, environmental, and soil investigations. GPR is a geophysical method that is often mentioned in news commentaries for its use in locating unmarked graves, clandestine burials and tunnels, terrorism and military hazards, and disaster victims. However, the effectiveness of GPR in these activities is highly site-specific and soil dependent. A common concern of GPR service providers is whether or not GPR will be able to achieve the desired depth of penetration in the soils of an assignment area. In many soils, high rates of signal attenuation severely restrict penetration depths and limit the suitability of GPR for a large number of applications. Knowledge of the probable penetration depth and relative suitability of soils can help service providers assess the appropriateness of using GPR and the likelihood of achieving acceptable results. Soil attribute data contained in the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) and the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) databases have been used to develop thematic maps showing, at different scales and levels of resolution, the relative suitability of soils for many GPR applications.
Using GPR to Characterize Plinthite and Ironstone Layers in Ultisols. Available from: www.researchgate.net/publication/282805887_Using_GPR_to_C... [accessed Dec 09 2020].
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hQaXV7MpM
For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-...
or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...
Utilizing GPR to identify contrasting soil layers
Increasingly, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is being used in agronomic, archaeological, engineering, environmental, and soil investigations. GPR is a geophysical method that is often mentioned in news commentaries for its use in locating unmarked graves, clandestine burials and tunnels, terrorism and military hazards, and disaster victims. However, the effectiveness of GPR in these activities is highly site-specific and soil dependent. A common concern of GPR service providers is whether or not GPR will be able to achieve the desired depth of penetration in the soils of an assignment area. In many soils, high rates of signal attenuation severely restrict penetration depths and limit the suitability of GPR for a large number of applications. Knowledge of the probable penetration depth and relative suitability of soils can help service providers assess the appropriateness of using GPR and the likelihood of achieving acceptable results. Soil attribute data contained in the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) and the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) databases have been used to develop thematic maps showing, at different scales and levels of resolution, the relative suitability of soils for many GPR applications.
Using GPR to Characterize Plinthite and Ironstone Layers in Ultisols. Available from: www.researchgate.net/publication/282805887_Using_GPR_to_C... [accessed Dec 09 2020].
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hQaXV7MpM
For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-...
or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...