An overview of GPR investigation in the Italian Alps

Different applications of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) in glaciology are discussed through examples of mapping bedrock or internal features of glaciers or the characterization of snow properties and frozen materials’ physical parameters like electromagnetic velocity and density. A first example focuses on the application of GPR to the estimate of snow water equivalent, density at scale of basin, of interest for the analysis of the hydrological behaviour during the snow melt. Examples on the radar survey to map bedrock, investigate the inner features of glaciers and monitor its evolution with time are herein discussed. We focus particularly on the radar survey of the Cevedale glacier, to get information on the thickness of glacier. Another example shows the result of geophysical characterization of iced-bodies in the Canin massif, located in the north-east part of the Italian Alps. Moreover, an example of a 4D GPR data survey is provided, demonstrating the applicability of GPR as an efficient tool to estimate the seasonal mass balance of a glacier, with a higher overall accuracy than direct methods.