Shallow Shear Wave Reflection Survey in the Canadian Arctic

Shear wave seismic reflection was used to delineate cyclic deposits of massive ice and glacial till in the upper 30 m at a site near Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada. Shear wave reflections with dominant frequencies in excess of 350 Hz were recorded with a steel shaft and 1 kg hammer source and single 50 Hz horizontal geophones with 30 cm spikes. A least four reflecting interfaces between 10 and 30 m depth can be correlated to borehole data. Previous regional borehole information suggested the presence of a single massive layer of segregated ice beneath glacial till. The seismic data were interpreted to indicate at least three distinct layers of structurally deformed ice that were later confirmed by drilling and geophysical logs.