Bathymetric mapping and sub-bottom profiling through lake ice with ground-penetrating radar

Bathymetric mapping of lakes with sonar is essentially limited to the ice-free summer months. Recent developments in ground-penetrating radar technology have greatly increased its portability and capabilities for imaging through fresh water. The suitability of a backpack portable ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system for bathymetric mapping of ice-covered Arctic lakes was investigated by performing grid surveys on three lakes with water depths up to 19 m. It was demonstrated that GPR can now be used to quickly produce high quality bathymetric maps and sub-bottom profiles showing sediment type and lacustrine sediment thickness. While water depths were measured with a precision of ±3%, lacustrine sediment thickness measurements (up to 5 m) had an estimated precision of ±15%.