Seeing beyond the outcrop: Integration of ground-penetrating radar with digital outcrop models of a paleokarst system

Abstract Paleokarst breccias are a common feature of sedimentary rift basins. The Billefjorden Trough in the High Arctic archipelago Svalbard is an example such rift. Here Carboniferous stratigraphy exhibits intervals paleokarst formed by gypsum dissolution. In this study we integrate digital outcrop models (DOMs) with 2D ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey to extrapolate external irregular geometries beyond outcrops. DOMs obtained through combining series overlapping photographs structure-from-motion photogrammetry, create mm- dm-resolution georeferenced DOMs. GPR typically used for surveying shallow subsurface and relies on detecting contrasts electro-magnetic permittivity. We defined three geophysical facies based their appearance GPR. By integrating data were able correlate reflection patterns features. chaotic nature seen both Key horizons profiles allow tying together observations between these methods. Furthermore, show that technique expands two-dimensional surface into three-dimensional domain, thus complementing, strengthening extending interpretations.