Investigating the Radar Response of Englacial Debris Entrained Basal Ice Units in East Antarctica Using Electromagnetic Forward Modeling

Radio-echo sounding (RES) reveals patches of high backscatter in basal ice units, which represent distinct englacial features the bottom parts glaciers and sheets. Their material composition physical properties are largely unknown due to their direct inaccessibility but could provide significant information on state as well present past processes at ice-sheet base. Here, we investigate units by comparing measured airborne radar data with synthetic responses generated using electromagnetic (EM) forward modeling. The observations were acquired onset Jutulstraumen Ice Stream western Dronning Maud Land (DML) (East Antarctica) show strong continuous near-basal reflections up 200-m thickness normally echo-free zone (EFZ). Based our modeling, suggest that these high-backscatter most likely composed point reflectors low dielectric properties, suggesting thick packages entrained debris. We further effects particle size, concentration combination different useful constrain radar-detected backscatter. capability application wave modeling complex environments is therefore a valuable tool conditions