Improved estimation of ice and water contents in alpine permafrost through constrained petrophysical joint inversion: The Hoher Sonnblick case study

Quantitative estimation of subsurface water and ice content values is critical for the understanding modeling permafrost evolution in alpine regions. Geophysical methods permit assessment conditions a noninvasive quasicontinuous manner; particular, combination seismic refraction tomography (SRT) electrical resistivity (ERT) through petrophysical model can quantitatively estimate ground values. For Hoher Sonnblick study area (3106 m.a.s.l., Austrian Alps), we have investigated improved based on SRT, ERT, ground-penetrating radar data collected June October 2019. We solve following different approaches, namely, (1) independent inversion subsequent transformation imaging results to target parameters (2) joint (PJI) sets. Supported by synthetic study, determine that incorporation structural porosity constraints PJI allows an quantitative characterization conditions. our measurements at Sonnblick, constrained resolves shallow debris layer characterized high air porosity, top with lower corresponding fractured gneiss, bedrock lowest porosity. both time steps, find end area. Substantial variations resolved between 2019 indicate correlation meltwater discharge within layer. Our demonstrate permits hydrologic environments.