Ground penetrating radar investigations with applications for Southern Arizona

Abstract

The goal of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) research at the University of Arizona is to improve our understanding use of GPR in a variety of settings. Observations from local surveys will form the basis for developing continuous profiling systems for future terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications. Determining electrical properties of in-situ soils and rock helps predict GPR behavior. A test site was constructed to measure the electrical properties of representative Southern Arizona Basin soils and to quantify the GPR response to these properties. In general, 100 and 300 MHz antennas are useful for surveys designed to locate large anomalies. The higher resolution of the 500 MHz antenna is valuable in most investigations and has been successful in mapping archaeological sites in the region. Signal processing of digitized GPR data clarifies the profile for interpretation and conditions the data for remote interpretation of the GPR profile through neural network pattern recognition of anomalies.